Orange Flowers Are Poison
by phantasmal-wanderer
Summary: Lilith wasn't one to yell up at the sky and demand her brother back. Then again, she never thought she would be trapped on an island with a teenager dubbed Peter Pan. She wants her and her brother to return home. He thinks it's a game and finds her determination amusing. A Tiger Lily story with an unexpected twist.
1. And so it begins

**A/N: What's up guys. First Once Upon A Time fic. I'm only going to have one long AN at the beginning to introduce this story. Yes, as the title explains, this will be a Tiger Lily story. Mostly because I really liked the Neverland arc in the show and thought that I could put my hand to it and try it out. This is a Tiger Lily story with a twist, and it's mostly thought out. I currently have about eighteen chapters already planned out, and this will be updated every Monday. After part one has ended, I will be taking a three week absence from updating and then part two of the story will take place.**

 **This is not a happy story, it's actually quite dark. The thing that I love the most about my characters is that I like to kill them off. There will be other dark and mature themes that some kiddies probably shouldn't be reading. Will I go into detail with the mature themes? Nah, you're good as far as that goes. Mostly because that would be gross and I don't feel up to writing that far in detail.**

 **That's why it's rated 'T' for teen.**

 **Just be careful when reading this story, and I did warn you ahead of time.**

 **There will be times when this story takes place in the past. There will be an indication that it is in the past so that I don't hurt your brains with you guys trying to decipher exactly what the hell is going on. I wanted to stay true to the show as much as possible, and as such, I tried my hand at that new aspect.**

 **And now that I've said what's needed to be said, on with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time.**

* * *

Your little brother never tells you but he loves you so

You said your mother only smiled on her TV show

You're only happy when your sorry head is filled with dope

I hope you make it to the day you're 28 years old

~ Colors, Halsey

* * *

 **Ch 1: And so it begins**

"Father isn't going to be home tonight, Andrew," Lilith said in a small, gentle tone. She tucked her young brother into bed, and his brown hair was ruffled with the girl's hand. The boy let out a short chuckle of endearment before looking up at her with his big blue eyes.

The eyes of their mother that the girl wasn't as fortunate to receive.

The girl pulled her gaze away and went to the window of their two leveled apartment. It was all she could do to prevent herself from letting out a sob. The topic of her mother was still fresh on her mind, and she tried to not think about it too much. It was a coping mechanism that she had developed herself. It was better to pretend that she wasn't hurting when she was.

Maybe then she wouldn't be feeling an emotion that she couldn't describe when she thought of her.

She closed the window, watching as the thin curtains danced in the night's wind before they were abruptly cut off. Lilith let out a quick sigh, and turned around as she placed her delicate hand on the lock before switching it.

"Dad isn't in trouble, is he?" Asked Andrew, who gripped his thin comforter with his tiny hands. Concern was strong in his voice, and Lilith let out a soothing small smile.

This was going to be the hard part. Trying to tell her brother that everything was going to be okay and that there was nothing to worry about. Of course, her father was in danger whenever he went out into the forest. Their mother had taught him how to set many traps so that he would be prepared for when the war came. Now that the war was over, her father was sent to recollect the various number of traps that were still active.

Every time he risked going into the forest, then he would risk not ever coming back out.

"Not at all," Lilith answered as the lie fell from her lips easier than she would have liked. She placed a hand on her brother's shoulder tenderly. "He simply needs to recollect all of the precautionaries from the forest," she explained, knowing that using a gentle tone that was filled with confidence would make her brother be at ease. It was easy to mask her true emotions, she's had to wear a mask all of her life.

To be the better person.

To treat others with kindness.

To be the woman that her mother had tried to groom her to be.

World War I took a toll on their family, and because of this, they had to downgrade to the minimal requirements for life. A shortage in food, the small meetings she had with their father about being a surrogate mother to her brother, and of course, the laborious duties that Lilith now how to fulfil.

She looked into Andrew's eyes, and she didn't think he minded the change so much. Then again, he was only eight. He probably didn't understand what a loving house hold is supposed to be – before their mother died.

Unfortunately for Lilith, she did remember.

To know what a loving family is supposed to be like is far worse than never knowing one at all.

"So…" Andrew trailed, not catching onto what she was talking about, "In the forest?" He questioned, trying to come up with the correct explanation to where there father was mostly all the time.

"In the forest," Lilith repeated with absolute confidence. Andrew, for a small second seemed worried about his father, but his sister patted him on the head in reassurance. "He'll be back before sunrise, Andrew, don't you worry," she added, as a failsafe to warrant his pleasant dreams for the night. Andrew let out a smile in return as he turned his body towards the window, and his worry quickly subsided to nothing.

Lilith placed a stray lock of hair behind her ear from the long events of the day. She was still wearing her school uniform, which was the custom in the school system. It was a white long sleeved shirt with a red corset over that. She was wearing a red skirt, accompanied with black leggings and her feet adorned with black dress shoes. She had her light brown hair down, her long curly mess - a style that made her unique - cascading down her back.

Unlike most girls in the 1920s, she wore her hair down.

She turned her body and took the sturdy door in her hand. Before leaving the room, she turned off the bedroom light on instinct.

"Lil?" Andrew asked, taking his comforter in his hand, holding it tightly. "The light…" He complained in a frightful tone, the nervousness in his voice was clearly heard. He didn't like the darkness. Not since a few nights ago when he could have sworn he saw a black shadow enter his room.

Their father told him it was just a bad dream. Yet, Lilith felt her heart tug for her younger brother. If he felt so afraid of this supposed shadow, then she thought it was real to him. And, despite what their father had told them, the fact remains that Andrew believed that it was real.

And if it was real to him, then it consequently was real to her as well.

The girl stopped her actions as her eyes widened in realization at her regular instinctual actions. Her brother was having, what she assumed as night terrors, for the past week.

He claimed that a black shadow would enter his room with glowing white eyes. It would enter through the window, and then offer his hand for her brother to take. It was haunting for her brother, and she understood his reason for concern.

The imagery that he described made even her uncomfortable.

"My apologies, I forgot for a moment," she argued gently, flipping the light back on slowly, "Good night, Andrew," she bided goodbye, closing the door behind her, but not all the way. Another complaint that he had.

The argument was that he was terrified of being alone with the shadow being. Having the door closed meant that the exit was gone. Therefore, she would leave the door ajar at night. Nothing would affect having the door open, and so she followed his demands for his nightly routine.

"Night, Lil," Andrew whispered, though his older sister hadn't heard. He heard her familiar and precise footsteps as they traveled down the hallway, farther away from him. He gripped his comforter for dear life, wishing up at the night sky through the thin cloth curtains that adorned the window.

"Please, don't let it come tonight!" He pleaded - borderline begged – that he would be undisturbed for once tonight. "Please!" He mumbled, wanting to fall asleep, but not being able to. His mind started to travel, and he started to think about the creature. He shook his head vigorously, clearing his thoughts, "Think about Dad, about Lil…" He trailed, turning his head the other way, "About mom…" He whispered, closing his eyes tight.

As she was traveling down the hallway, Lilith noticed that her sleeves had started to wrinkle and made a small frown, "How did I manage that?" She asked lightly, talking to herself to fight the loneliness that was left behind now that her brother was in bed.

She didn't have anyone to speak to, and what better company to keep her at bay than herself?

She patted down her white stainless sleeves, taking her attire and appearance very seriously. She had to represent her family name, and now that her mother was gone, the face that they would be judging would be her. How the adults would judge and assume that she wasn't a woman - a lady. It would try on her patience, yet, she would put up with in for the sake of her family: her brother, Andrew, and her beloved father.

She didn't mind the extra work that was forced on her. She had to do the laundry and keep the house tidy. Having a clean environment meant that she was helping raise Andrew right. After all, if her little brother didn't have a mother figure in his life, then he would end up just the way she was after their mother had died.

A shiver coursed through her spine as she crossed her arms across her chest for comfort – she wouldn't let Andrew become how rebellious she was when she was around his age.

Her father was always working, trying to supply income and support his family. Lilith understood, she knew that everything he did…he did for the family. He placed others before himself, a moral that Lilith held deeply to her heart.

She walked down the hallway, correcting ever so slightly a crooked painting or photograph. It was then that she noticed the family portrait of her father, accompanied by her mother, and herself standing by her father's side. Andrew, who was a newborn, was being held by her mother.

Time after time, she would stroll pass this picture every day, but something pulled her to it tonight. It was a mocking picture of how things were – of how things were supposed to be. Her reality suddenly came at her full force, and she lost the weight to carry herself as she slid to the ground slowly.

"Why did you leave us?" She asked, a defeated tone in her voice. It held a certain kind of longing, and it was pitiful to hear - even to her ears. She looked back up at the glass container holding the picture, and caught a glimpse of herself. Her green eyes, which matched her father's, seemed to mock her.

Her mother had always said that there was a fire in those eyes of hers, an emotion that defined only her and her father; the unyielding power of determination. To never give up, even when things were looking bleak.

But when was it okay for her to admit defeat?

When was it that she could act like a child that she was supposed to be?

Why was it that she was forced to grow up sooner than the other girls in her class?

She felt confused when all these questions were spiraling in her head. She didn't know where they had all come from, or why she started to think this way. It made her long for a better life – one that was filled with a family that she desperately needed.

But she already had a family.

Yet, did she really have one?

Or did she only believe that this was enough for her?

A shiver rushed through her and she shook her head. She hated when she felt like this, and it was all her mother's fault. She started to loathe the woman, hating that she wasn't here when she needed her. And in all reality she started to feel…

A bit **lost**.

" _Lil_!" Andrew yelled form his bedroom, "Lil! Lil!" He screamed like a banshee that Lilith had read in fairytales. If there was anything that Lilith had read in that story, it was that when a banshee screamed out, something terrible was about to happen.

The girl's eyes widened at the desperate shrieks coming from her brother's room. Her instincts took over all other senses, and she knew she had to get to her brother quickly. Something was wrong, and she needed to get to him as quickly as possible. The young teen stood up, composing herself frivolously as she ran down the hallway to seek out her brother.

She almost tripped a few times over her own shoes, she was running as fast as her legs could carry her. Adrenaline and raw panic overcame any other emotion that she was experiencing. It was to the extent where she couldn't even feel her limbs any longer.

Still, she had to keep moving.

"Andy!" Lilith used the nick name to call out to her brother. She knew that the hallway wasn't as long as she was currently running down. She found it odd and frightening all at once that she was still running at this point. The hallway seemed endless, with every step she took, the hallway would get longer. After a few seconds of persistence, she would still be no step closer to her brother's room.

"Andy, please, where are you!" She yelled out, wiping away her tears with her long sleeve so her brother wouldn't know that she longed for their parents - that she wasn't as strong as he thought she was.

That deep inside she was as lost as she was determined.

"Andy!" She screamed again, her breath hitching in her throat. She stopped running, out of breath from the long trek of getting nowhere. Her throat burned with every intake of breath. Not knowing if her current state of exhaustion was from screaming out for her brother, or from running.

Her brother's screaming was all the girl needed to fuel her again, "No!" He yelled, and Lilith closed her eyes to concentrate. If her eyes were betraying her, then she would use her own memorization of her home.

She knew this place like the back of her hand, every crack in the wall, every table in the hallway. The pictures adorning the walls, and each and every door placement. Although she felt stuck, she knew she could pull through. With one foot in front of the other, she quickly walked towards where she believed was his room.

"Lil!" Andrew breathed out in relief, glad at just seeing his sister responding to his cries.

She opened her eyes and found that there was a dark shadow at the foot of his bed. The door was just how she had left it, allowing her to see in. At the sight of the demon in front of her, her stomach had started to burn. She pushed the pain away, and figured it was due to her disorientation from before.

The shadow's arm was outstretched, its hand being offered for the young boy to take, "Get away from him!" She yelled, entering the room and quickly placing herself between her brother and the monster in front of them.

The shadow's white eyes glanced at her, as if taking in her form and examining all of her possible weaknesses. Both children sat on the bed, Lilith in front of him protectively, but she was trembling with fear. Fear of the unknown, possibly, with a strange creature being displayed in front of her. Or maybe, it was the fear of not being able to protect her brother.

Lilith knew it was a combination of both.

"Leave!" Lilith ordered, though it was hard to keep the strained terror out of her tone. Still, she had to be strong for her brother. She was the oldest sibling – she had to look out for him.

"Lil, he won't leave!" Andrew whined, burying his face into his sister's back. "You can't let him take me!" He screeched, although his voice was muffled. She felt his tears moisten her shirt, and this only made her need to protect him grow.

The shadow blinked its unyielding eyes, and lowered its arm. Lilith took this as a sign of surrender and quickly grabbed an unused candlestick from the side table, and held it up to the strange phenomena.

"Leave, now!" She yelled, this time in a stronger tone. She held the weapon and poised it to swing at the being. She knew she had to attack it, but the trembling and shaking wouldn't stop. Her nerves wouldn't calm down, and this made the shadow take a step forward. Its body seemed to disobey the laws of physics, since its form went right through the bed and started to make its way to the siblings.

Andrew clenched his tiny hands around his sister's mid-section, while not looking up at the shadow - now standing directly in front of them. The surprise hold of her mid-section made the girl tense up. Her breath had suddenly left her, and Lilith heard a small, "Go away," being chanted over and over again, as if it was serving as a mantra for her younger brother.

"I told you to _leave_!" Lilith pushed, placing the candlestick towards the being. She watched with wide eyes of disbelief as the object went directly through the body. It was then that she felt a feeling of extreme coldness. The shiver that went through her entire being made her aware that this entity was a concentrated mass of darkness. The candlestick was then ripped from the girl's hands, and was sent through the shadow only to be forced into the wall behind it.

Lilith could only stare at the small dent being caused by such an object. The candlestick that she had used as a weapon was stuck in the wall. She looked back to the shadow, only to notice too late that it had grabbed her wrist. Its grip was strong, and she immediately winced at the pain erupting through her arm. Then, there was a coldness that seemed to invade her body, making her senses go numb.

"Andrew," she managed to mumble out, though her mouth felt as if she had just ate an entire plate of ice, "R-Run," she shivered out and the boy shook his head in cowardice.

"I won't leave you, Lil!" He argued, and Lilith could no longer feel her limbs. She couldn't struggle against the shadow any longer and let her body sag, the energy being drained from it completely. "L-Lil!" Andrew's voice yelled at his sister giving into the shadow. Though, to the young teen, it felt as if water was rushing through her ears, making her brother's voice seem miles away.

"Run…" She whispered out, slumping her form forward, closing her eyes. It was then that the shadow let go of her wrist and tossed her aside, as if she were nothing more than a rag doll to the being. She hit the floor, a few feet away from the window.

"And…Rew…" She struggled to say, hearing the muffled screams of her brother as she opened her eyes a little. She saw the shadow grab her brother by the middle and held him under the shadow's arm. "No!" She yelled, bringing her arm up with her hand outstretched in vain towards him, "Please, no!" She begged with all her might.

The shadow took a glance at the teen on the ground as if taking her words in carefully, "T-Take me!" She offered up.

The shadow turned its head, uninterested in her offer. It walked through the window, seemingly turning itself and her brother intangible along the way.

"Lil! Lil! Help!" Andrew screamed, trying to pound the shadow with his bare fists in a desperate attempt to be let go. It then flew out the window, and Lilith watched as the thing took her brother into the night sky. She felt the last of her remaining energy being depleted knowing that she couldn't stop the thing from taking her brother.

Her eyes closed in disbelief.

She couldn't protect him…

She couldn't protect her brother.

What kind of big sister _was_ she?

Footsteps entered the room, and then a gasp echoed off the walls. The footsteps got louder, along with a persistent screaming in Lilith's ear. It was muffled, and it sounded like whoever was talking was worried and concerned. She struggled to open her eyes and found her father standing above her, his mustache was twisted to the right because of the humidity in the forest.

She tried to stand up, but found that her muscles wouldn't work. Her limbs wouldn't listen to what she told them to do. Her father got on one knee and placed a hand on her arm, only to immediately draw back. The girl started to shiver, and she could not think of a time where she was this cold.

"You're freezing!" Her father yelled, looking at the vacant bed that his son was supposed to be in. He grabbed the thin comforter and placed it around his daughter's porcelain white skin. She was fragile - she was his only daughter, and she couldn't fight like a man could. He would never expect her to fight because he didn't want her to get hurt.

"What happened?" He asked as the winter's unforgiving winds entered the room through the open window. Lilith could tell that it was morning, the early sunrise was just appearing over the various buildings of London.

At seeing his daughter being despondent, the man let out a curse and stood up. He closed the window, only to have a sudden thought cross his mind.

"Did someone come in here?" He asked, running over to his daughter to help her off the wooden floor, "Did someone take your brother?!" He yelled, a mixture of anger and terror in his voice. He was angry mostly at himself for not being there to stop the person from taking his only son.

Lilith furrowed her eyebrows.

It wasn't someone.

That _thing_ wasn't human.

"Some…Thing," Lilith struggled to say, the effect on the shadow grabbing her still made her feel numb to the bone. He grabbed a chair with his foot and propped her up on it next to the window. The sun's warmth would be able to help with the cold.

The father was confused when the shivering didn't stop, and when the cold didn't lift - even when a blanket was over her. He didn't understand why this was happening to him - to his family.

Why did his family always have to suffer?

Her father let out another colorful swear, "Lily," her father addressed to her, making the girl look up at him, "What happened?" He asked, wanting information. She opened her mouth to respond, but the man only heard the chattering of her teeth together. "Never mind, you warm up," he ordered, more than suggested, and he walked out scornfully from the room.

Lilith brought the blanket closer to herself, "A-A-And-drew," she stuttered, still not feeling her lips on her face. Hot tears started to roll down her face, they were hot to her cold and sensitive skin. She looked out the window to observe the early morning traffic of London.

"P-P-Please!" She pleaded, tilting her head up to the sky. Where she had last seen her brother and that damned shadow along with him.

LINE BREAK

Her father was talking to the police all day, while still trying to cater to his daughter's needs. Night had rolled around, and Lilith stood at the window with a blanket draped over her shoulders - the very same window her brother was taken from. She had an entire day, an entire day of self-loathing; of despair. She mustered up enough hate for her entire family towards the shadow.

"I know you're out there," Lilith hissed, addressing the night sky. The stars being the only thing that was looking back at her. "I _know_ that you can hear me…" She trailed, not wanting to sound crazy, she doubted her own logical knowledge at her actions.

"Somehow…" She bartered with her inner consciousness. Somehow this creature exists and had kidnapped her brother right in front of her. She didn't understand how this was possible. Faintly, she remembered something similar happening to her when she was around his age.

There was a breaking sound resonating from downstairs in the kitchen, dragging the teenager from her thoughts. Her father had a short temper, and he was taking it out on the fine china. The same china that her mother had collected while she was still alive.

Lilith clenched the window sill, "Take me," she ordered, her voice being leveled. If anyone who had known Lilith had heard her, they would be shocked by how angry she sounded, by her amount of animosity towards anyone. Lilith was a kind and respectable girl, the kind that brightened up anyone's day.

"Take me, and bring my brother back!" She yelled up at the sky. She was such a mess about the entire situation that she hadn't changed since the day previously.

"You really gather that he's the one you want?" She asked, trying to manipulate the shadow to return, "He's _nothing_ compared to me," she stated out loud, "He's not strong enough for whatever task you set for him, whereas I can do whatever you want me to!" She yelled, tears threatened to pour from her eyes.

She started to realize how silly she was acting, how ridiculous and completely mad she was.

She was yelling up at the sky for a shadow creature.

Yet, this wasn't the first time she had done something that questioned her mental stability.

Lilith let her fists pound against the window sill and she shook her head, "Maybe I just imagined it…?" She asked, questioning herself. She shook her head, "No, no, I wouldn't just envision something completely…" She trailed, walking away from the window. She started to pace in the room going over her thoughts. Her hands ran through her hair, pushing it back

"But what if I am a horrible sister?" She asked, feeling a certain way that she hadn't since her mother died. "I'm… _lost_ …" She admitted, holding her arms together tightly across her chest. "I'm lost and I don't know where to go!" She yelled, landing on her knees, not caring if her gentle skin would be bruised because of it.

"I don't know what to do! Mother!" She yelled, pleaded to be heard, "I need guidance, I need someone to lead me on the right path!" She yelled, placing her hands on the wooden floor. Her palms were exposed to the cold, unforgiving floor.

"I need Andrew, and I need father, but where are they when I need them?" She whispered, letting the tears flow freely from her eyes. The teenager felt one roll down her cheek, and she brought the back of her hand to wipe it away.

The teenager was too caught up in her emotions that she failed to notice a figure walking behind her. By the time she noticed something standing beside her, it was too late. She looked up with wide eyes only to recognize the shadow that had taken her brother. She was speechless, knowing what she wanted to say to the shadow, should she ever meet it again. Yet, the entire speech filled with hatred and venom that she had prepared - she had forgotten in an instant.

She seemed to be in a daze as the shadow outstretched its arm, its hand being offered to the teen.

Lilith knew that she shouldn't take the hand, but she couldn't stop herself from taking it. She placed her hand into the shadow's, watching as its white eyes seemed to brighten at the stupid mistake that the girl had just made. She realized it too late as she was quickly brought to her senses by the cold sensation that the shadow brought.

"Wait!" She yelled, trying to pull away, only for the shadow to tighten its hold on the girl. It wanted her, and it wasn't about to let her go. She quickly countered by trying to place her entire body weight on the ground.

"I-I don't _want_ this!" She tried to argue when the shadow brought the girl to her feet - as graceful as a race horse. She stumbled forward a few steps, the shadow not giving a care if it had hurt her in any way. She wasn't going to escape its grasp no matter what she would try and do.

The girl tried to pull away again, and knew that if she were to leave, then there would be no one here to care for her father.

She couldn't leave her father alone, not when she was all he had left.

"F-Father! Father!" Lilith yelled for her only protector she had in her life. Without warning, she was jolted forward, the shadow eager to make their departure before any witnesses arrived.

"Father, help! It's taking me!" She informed, trying to bring her father out of his despair to help her.

"Father!" She yelled again. She suddenly stopped screaming when she realized this is exactly what her younger brother had done, he had screamed to the one person that he had relied on to save him. She wondered what her father will feel when he realized that he couldn't protect her either.

A sense of hopelessness and dread filled her.

The shadow flew out the window at full force, making Lilith hold onto the shadow's hand for safety, "Father!" She yelled again, stuffing down that emotion just to try and get her father to save her. She realized that by calling to the shadow, it was downright idiotic.

Now, her father wasn't just without one child…

He was _childless_.

"Nooo!" She shrieked, trying to make the shadow drop her. She needed to get back home, she needed to be there to comfort her father.

The night air made her sick, and she looked down to realize that they were only going higher through the town, "You…You…" Lilith started, her anger and persistence getting the better of her. White eyes looked down at her as she looked up at it, "You better unhand me, you heathen!" She yelled, not thinking of a better insult to usher at the thing. Its white eyes glistened brightly, and Lilith seemed to think it was laughing at her attempts at sounding vulgar.

"Let me go, I said!" She yelled, trying to grab its arm with her free hand. Her plan was to try and get its hand to let go of hers. She let out a gasp of surprise when it went right through the arm. "I-I-Impossible," she whispered, watching as they reached the clouds.

"Dreaming, I'm dreaming, and this is a dream!" She tried to convince herself of the impossible journey that she was finding herself on. Despite it being impossible, she knew deep inside that it wasn't a dream. That this was all real, and it was all happening. She wanted nothing more than to be back with her father. For her to make him some tea and calm him down.

They started to fly lower, and Lilith widened her eyes at the sight of an island, "I will not hesitate to use lethal force!" Lilith bluffed at the thing holding her captive. She didn't know how to fight, her father never taught her how. She was a girl, and girls were supposed to be elegant and delicate. The shadow didn't even spare her a glance at her supposed 'threat', and she knew that the shadow didn't think that highly of her.

They descended in a forest, and a few feet off the ground, the shadow let go of the girl. She fell on the harsh ground roughly, and made a painful gasp when she landed on her stomach. The teenager heard a small chanting in the forest that she was in, a small ways to the left of her. She lifted her head, her hair completely disheveled from the journey and the rough landing to the strange place.

Confusion was her first immediate feeling.

After that came the small feeling of being lost, which quickly left as soon as it came.

Quickly looking up to see where the shadow was, she wasn't surprised when she found that it was gone.

She was then sitting herself up, not even bothering to pat the dirt off her clothes, "Andrew?" She whispered through the forest. She stood up, looking around the dark forest. Her body still hurt from the fall, but she pushed that away to find her brother in this place.

He had to be in this place.

She squinted her eyes in an attempt to see better, she wasn't used to the darkness. A small light alerted her to where people were.

"Andrew…?" She whispered through the thick brush, and started to walk through the small trees. She quickly realized that what she was currently wearing would not work in a jungle. Her shirt got caught on some of the low tree branches a few times, and leaves and rocks had found themselves in her shoes.

The laughter of young boys soon filled her ears, and her senses were instantly put on high alert. She entered the area, and looked at the scene from behind a large bush. She observed as the young boys danced around the fire, laughing and all dancing to the same beat.

"What on Earth?" Lilith questioned, not understanding this at all. They were dancing, but she couldn't hear the music that they were dancing to. She slowly made her way to the small campfire, when she noticed that there were tents behind that, signaling her that this was a camp.

A camp for who?

A boy ran at her with a happy grin, "Lil!" He yelled, making Lilith glance down at the boy. She immediately enveloped him into a hug, and wouldn't let go when he made a small complaint that she was cutting off his oxygen.

"Lil, we have to get out of here!" Andrew yelled, looking over at the campfire. "These boys are crazy!"

"I didn't notice," Lilith agreed in a sarcastic manner, yet, still understanding the situation. She motioned her brother to the forest with a small push to his back. "We have to make haste," she informed, Andrew nodded, just the idea that his sister was there was enough to put his nerves at ease.

Having him with her, however, did not do the same for the girl.

What if she couldn't protect him again?

"And where do you think you're going, Dent?" Asked a teenager that held a menacing looking knife in his hand. It was jagged and uneven, it even appeared to be carved from a bone of some king of animal. It looked as if it could pierce right through the skin and even the bone.

He walked over to the siblings, impatience was clearly being displayed on his face. At first, all Lilith recognized was the knife, and she took a step in front of her little brother. She hadn't realized that he had said the wrong name to her brother until she thought about it.

Andrew let out a frown, hugging his sister from behind for comfort, "That's not my name!" He argued, wanting to run away at the moment.

The boy let out a smirk, "It is if Pan thinks it is," he stated intelligently. His knife being raised to be eye level with the teen himself. He watched the blade's reflection of something that was behind him, not caring that the siblings were there at the moment, "In fact, Pan wants to meet the two of you right now."

"You will let us go home," Lilith ordered in a strong tone, though she couldn't stop the trembling that accompanied her fake confidence. A surge of anger started to overcome her, and she realized that the trembling hadn't come because she was scared.

It was from the sudden rush of anger.

"Or what?" The teen boy asked dryly and in a bored manner. "You'll what?" He pushed, walking closer to the siblings, his knife still being poised to be used. The teen girl glanced at her brother and then at the boy, "Attack me?" He asked, clearly thinking that was a joke as soon as he said it. "You're just a stupid girl!"

Lilith let out an uncharacteristic growl, making her brother become even more scared, "You shouldn't underestimate me!" She yelled, letting an unknown anger surface. She charged at the boy, clearly he wasn't expecting such a reaction from a girl.

After all, girls were never aggressive or furious.

His eyes went wide, and she readied a punch to the face of the boy. They both landed on the ground, with Lilith being on top of him with her teeth clenched, "You think you can take my brother and get away with it?!" She asked him, not expecting the boy underneath her to answer. She punched him in the jaw, not caring that her hand started to bruise and bleed at the impact.

"Lil!" Andrew yelled in fear of his sister. He started to shake, taking a step back, only for a hand to comfort him. The boy glanced up and noticed that Pan was standing next to him, a smirk on his face. Just seeing that dreaded smirk, Andrew let out a small whimper and tried to move away. Pan, however, wouldn't let him wander too far and tightened his grip on the boy. Pan placed a finger up to his lips, signaling for the boy to be quiet.

Andrew was in too much shock to say anything regardless.

"I very much dislike people such as you!" Lilith yelled bringing the boy's upper body up since her fists had dug into his torso, "Think you can just boss people; especially a girl around?" She hissed out, only to stop when she heard clapping.

The anger that she was experiencing had suddenly stopped, and she froze what she was doing. She blinked slowly, as if to realize what she had done. She looked down at the bloodied form of the boy who was trying to appear threatening. Taking a few quick steps back from her victim, she examined the extent of the damage.

"Oh…No…" She trailed out, quickly placing a hand up to her chest in shock. She didn't remember a time where she was that angry – not since her mother had died and the neighborhood boys had bullied her because of it.

Pan revealed himself from the shadows with her brother with him, "You sure are ferocious, aren't you, Lilith?" He asked with a small cock of his head, "Felix, take him," he ordered a teenager who was merely observing the fight.

Lilith glanced over at the hooded boy, and felt a wave of shame fall over her.

"You really were worth the wait," Pan complimented walking over to the girl. Her white sleeved shirt was bloodied, and was ripped in the scrimmage. She hadn't even realized that the other boy had a weapon and he had cut her somewhere while they were fighting.

Too consumed in anger, she hadn't even felt the pain.

The words that Pan had spoken to her were lost on her. She didn't understand anything that came out of his mouth. She was too fearful of herself to notice how the wind started to shift on the island. The boys all took a step back.

Lilith took a step back from the group that had gathered and shook her head, "No, I didn't…" She whispered out, refusing to believe that she had almost killed a boy. That wasn't what girls do, that wasn't their purpose. That wasn't helping others in need - that was downright taking others for granted.

"I did not do that," she chanted to herself, though Pan was only enjoying the emotion that was coming off her in waves. It took him only seconds to realize that she starting to doubt herself. An emotion that he fed on and fueled him.

She was **lost**.

Then within seconds, it was gone, making Pan furrow his eyebrows in confusion and a small amount of anger overcame him. No wonder he was so drawn to the girl, she would go from feeling lost in a second to perfectly content in the next few. He glanced to who she was looking at and found her anchor. Her brother kept her from fully releasing what she felt.

He would need to stop that where it started.

Or else the game couldn't progress.

"You were like a tiger, weren't you?" He asked, drawing the girl's focus back on him, "Tiger Lily…it suits you, doesn't it?" He asked, already renaming the girl in front of him. He did that to gain power, to break people. The easier it was to break them, then they would cave into feeling lost. It gave him more power, and power was everything to Pan.

"Ah, I should probably introduce myself, I'm Peter. Peter Pan."

"We need to go home," Lilith informed Pan as she walked over to her brother. She completely ignored what he had said to her, too caught up in her current predicament. Her need to go home was stronger than her need to appease the teenager in front of her.

Andrew, however, took a step back in fear of his sister's arrival towards him. She watched how terrified he was of her, and she stopped her pursuit towards him. She looked down at herself, knowing that the blood on her clothes wasn't making the situation any better. Lilith didn't know if it was her blood, or if it was the other boy's.

She gathered it was most likely a combination of both. That didn't make her feel any more pride in what she had done. It certainly didn't make her feel any satisfaction in knowing that she was once again endorsing violence into her life.

Pan let out a small chuckle, "I don't think you understand," he stated, purposefully being cryptic. The girl looked back up at him, "You _are_ home," Pan said slowly, letting the girl take it in. He wasn't disappointed when her eyes widened at the statement.

He liked seeing that emotion, already his power started to increase just by the girl's emotions by herself. "Welcome to Neverland!" He greeted placing his hand off of Andrew's shoulder and walking into his camp. He passed Lilith with a smirk plastered on his face, "Where you'll _never_ leave," he whispered to her.

Lilith turned and placed a hand on her chest in shock at the statement. She realized though, it wasn't a statement so much as a promise. She looked over at her brother, who refused to meet her eyes. Andrew saw her as a monster - about as crazy as the kids around them - and she knew that they needed to get off the island and back home before any more damage was done. She didn't know if she could control herself around the boys, and especially Pan. She only knew that the unfamiliar anger had made her do these things, and if she couldn't find a way home in time, she would probably end up like the rest of the Lost Ones.

That thought terrified her.

 **To be continued…**


	2. Enter the Savior (And Gang)

**A/N: Weekly update!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time.**

* * *

Oh, I don't know what you've been told

But this gal right here's gonna rule the world

Yeah, that is where I'm gonna be because I wanna be

No, I don't wanna sit still, look pretty

~ "Sit still, look pretty," Daya

* * *

 **CH.2 – Enter the Savior (And Gang)**

 **(Present)**

"No offence, Swan, but I can handle _myself_ here," Regina stated with a scowl. The mere thought of having to rely on people just to rescue her son was ludicrous. She was the Evil Queen, a master of magic. All her life she could only count on herself; she wouldn't start changing that now.

Especially having to rely on Snow White and Prince Charming of all people was absolutely ridiculous. She was on her own for as long as she could remember, and her magic only provided her with the confidence she needed to take down whatever she was faced with.

Emma glanced at Regina and let out a seemingly unnoticeable shrug, "If you say so," she mumbled, not wanting to start an argument with her.

Not here.

Not when their son was in danger.

Even if Regina's pride got in the way of her better judgement. Mary Margret glanced at Regina before prepping her bow. After all, they were in enemy territory. Unlike Regina, the rest of the members knew their way around a weapon of some sort.

Hook walked over to his right hand man with a raised eyebrow, "I know you don't want to be here, mate," he whispered so that no one else in the group would over hear. The man looked over at Hook with a confident smile plastered on his face. He wore glasses and was wearing a suit, as if he had just gotten out of a business meeting.

"Yet, you're the one who asked for my services, were you not?" The man asked rhetorically, thinning his smile out in a teasing way. Hook was starting to frown and began to have a worried expression on his face. "Relax, Captain, I feel indifferent," he persuaded, starting to walk forward. His spectacles on his face reflected the moon clearly in the lens, "A guide should know what they're doing, correct?" He asked again, speaking in riddles that Hook almost didn't catch.

"Must you speak in such a way?" Hook muttered, a scowl forming on his face, "Teacher Fin," he began, rolling his eyes, "Speaks in tongues and knows how to annoy the _bloody_ _hell_ out of everyone," he introduced mockingly.

The man's eyes sparkled, enjoying the banter with the pirate, " _Professor_ to you, _Captain_ ," he reinforced softly with an aura of pride.

There was a slight rustling in the bushes, alerting everyone to the forest beside them. Their focus was on the other side of the forest that they had neglected to keep vigilance. Only until Hook felt a sword at the end of his back did he notice that someone had snuck up on them. Captain Hook grimaced at his lack of focus, he was a bloody pirate, he shouldn't be easy to attack. He had let his guard down, and letting his guard down in Neverland was never a good idea.

Ever.

"Who are you," Tiger Lily ordered, not bothering to have a question in her voice, "Haven't seen adults around here in a long time," she insinuated out loud, letting out a very thin warning. Chances are, they could be working for Pan. That's ever the only time adults were allowed on Neverland to begin with. And just like the rest of the adults that she had caught, she was going to take them out.

"We aren't working for Pan, if that's what you're thinking," Regina hissed out, the idea of working with the brat that took her son filled her with rage and disgust. She turned around, as did the rest of the group except for Hook who realized that if he turned around, he would no doubt get impaled by the sword the teen girl was holding.

Tiger Lily glanced at all of their faces, each one was a stranger to her. Although, her eyes lasted a few seconds on the oldest man in the batch before her gaze landed on the back of the pirate. Hook was about to move, but the teen pushed the sword so that it met contact with his clothing, but didn't yet cut him.

Hook, at a standstill, placed his arms to his sides to show that he wasn't going to attack.

Tiger Lily narrowed her eyes in focus, "Not you. You're insurance," she commented, watching as Mary Margret placed an arrow on her bow, getting ready to attack the young teen girl. Tiger saw this action and slowly looked at the woman, daring her to attack.

She looked at Regina, taking in her magical aura. It was a dangerous black color, but Tiger knew it wouldn't work right in Neverland. Pan would never allow magic to be used without his permission.

Emma clenched her fists in anticipation, not expecting a confrontation this soon, "Seems to me as if we have you outnumbered here," she stated, not liking the girl's face in front of them. It was unmoving, as hard as stone, and frozen into place.

Her face was indifferent, and definitely not new to fighting. The multiple scars that aligned her face proved that she had seen a countless number of battles.

"I didn't rush into a supposed ambush without being prepared," Tiger Lily said out loud, glancing to the blonde haired woman, yet, still keeping an eye on all of the members. She noticed that Emma had a sword, but wasn't holding it the right way, and Regina didn't have any weapons at all, "She doesn't know how to use that," she mentioned before glancing to Regina, "And your magic doesn't work here."

"Enough of these games!" Regina yelled out in impatience. She stretched out her right hand, getting ready to use her magic. Her hand glowed, the only warning that people would only get before meeting their death.

"Regina!" Emma yelled out in warning, not ecstatic that they were about to hurt a teen girl. Her worry was proved to be futile, however, when the fire that Regina was summoning evaporated into dirt as she launched it at the girl. Tiger Lily didn't flinch, or blink, when the dirt landed a few feet in front of her. It didn't break her concentration, and her mouth twitched before lowering her sword.

She took a few steps back, allowing Hook to turn around and face her. She studied his face for only a few seconds before lowering her sword to her side, "I knew it," she stated before turning to walk away. She didn't get very far before Mary Margret furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and tried to speak to the girl.

"You two know each other?" Mary Margret asked in honest curiosity, "How?" She asked, making the girl turn around and eye them all once again. The stiff expression on her face and her cold eyes made everyone in the group be on their guard. Emma realized that even as the most anti-social out of the group, this teenager in front of her had her beat. David shifted uncomfortably as he exchanged his body weight to his other foot. Regina scowled, crossing her arms as if seeming to be disinterested.

"Aye," Hook confirmed, seeing as the girl wouldn't be answering the woman any time soon, "Back when I was still in service with Pan," he explained briefly, "This be Lilith, otherwise known as Tiger Lily as dubbed by Pan."

Tiger Lily glanced at Hook with her cold, lifeless eyes. The man could have sworn he saw remorse in those eyes of hers, but it had instantly disappeared when she shrugged uncaringly. She tossed her sword in the air before catching it by the hilt and offered it to Regina with an outstretched hand.

Regina looked down at the object being handed to her, not knowing what to do with it, "Your magic won't work here," Tiger Lily informed her once again, as if the woman was a dunce and didn't understand the situation.

Regina glanced at the rest of the group nervously, "I don't _need_ a _sword_ ," she commented, adding sarcasm in there just to get on the teen's nerves. The Queen wanted to damper the girl's pride and confidence, but upon looking back at the teen's unwavering stance, she didn't know what to think of the child.

Any other person and that tactic would have undoubtedly worked.

"Then you will die," Tiger Lily promised, not even sugar coating her response before walking away, already planning on heading deeper into the forest. Professor Fin looked at the teen and tried to have his face be expressionless. Emma shook her head at the teen's antics, and Regina just looked confused at someone actually trying to help her for once.

"Wait, lass!" Hook yelled in a hushed tone. After all, he knew the real dangers of this forest. Tiger Lily stopped walking and glanced back at the pirate, "We would be in need of a guide of sort," he stated, not missing the death glare that Professor Fin sent in his direction.

"If you would do us the honor," he offered his deal to the teen.

Tiger Lily rolled her shoulder tiredly and turned around fully, "Then we have to move," she stated, darting her eyes behind the group. David looked to where she was glancing and didn't find anyone, and he looked back to face the teenager again. She was an odd one, one that he would need to keep a better watch over.

"Because if we don't, then Pan's _weapons_ will be here any second," she informed before walking again. Regina didn't need to be told twice at the news, knowing that being unprotected in a foreign place was bad news. Emma followed, and then Mary Margret, following after her was David, but not before he made a face of disbelief at the mannerisms of the child.

Hook and Professor Fin lagged behind the group, "Well? How does it feel facing your sister?" Hook asked the question that he knew he would need to ask eventually. He wasn't expecting to see a trail of a tear rolling down the thirty year old's cheek. "Ah, not well…" He mumbled awkwardly, not knowing what to do in emotional situations. Even though he had practically raised Fin, he still didn't know what to do when his surrogate son was emotional.

Fin wiped away the tear, letting his glasses get dirtied a little, "She's just changed…so much!" He choked out, not liking that his older sister had changed drastically. Her hair had been parted two ways, her long locks being braided. Her clothing choice had been better suited for the jungle, and Fin had to say she very much looked like a Native American.

He was shocked at that, considering she knew nothing about them. He taught a lecture on Anthropology back at Washington University, therefore he knew about them. Even her face had streaks on them, either from mud or dried clay, he didn't know. Her hair had streaks of white clay in them that had hardened over the many decades she was there.

The most peculiar thing about the girl was that fact that she was dead on the inside. She wouldn't let anyone in. That, and around her throat was a scar. It worried him that she had tried to do something reckless in the past. "Where did my sister go…?" He whispered, lugging slower and slower, "What…happened to her?"

"She died, mate," Hook stated, "I'd gather she did when Andrew fell," he offered his wisdom, and Fin nodded slowly at the conclusion. It made sense, but he never thought that his escape from Neverland would grant this.

Fin clenched his hands in anger, what did Pan do to his sister while he was gone?

* * *

 **(Past)**

"Andrew, _please_ , listen to me!" Lilith ushered after her brother. He was walking away from the camp, desperate on finding a way off the island. A way to get away from Pan, and his madness. His older sister was trailing behind, not wearing the right shoes for the jungle. Unlike his sister, all Andrew was wearing was his pajamas, not even any shoes. "Andrew!" She yelled, almost tripping on an exposed tree root. She righted herself at the last minute, but managed to get her leggings to run. The thin material started to get frayed from the shrubbery and bushes. Not to mention the thorny vines that she couldn't see very well in the darkness.

Andrew turned around with a glare on his face, "You're just like _them_ , Lil!" He yelled, completely angered at the fact that his sister had given in so quickly. He watched the hurt spread across her face, and he immediately wanted to take it back. He swallowed his guilt and kept going with his relentless assault, "You might not dance to their invisible music, but you fight like them!"

Lilith opened her mouth to argue that she didn't know what had happened, but she couldn't get a word out before there was whistling and chanting coming from behind them. The siblings knew that they would need to resolve their conflicts with each other later. Because, right now, the Lost Ones were coming after them.

Lilith was the first to move as she grabbed her little brother's small hand in hers and started to run through the forest. After all, if you run in one direction, you were bound to reach the end of the island. Common sense told her that, and she stuck with her logic.

"Take a left," Andrew whispered, making Lilith halt her progress and glanced down at her brother with a look of disbelief, "I know how it sounds, but trust me," he argued in a rushed voice, knowing that he didn't have the time to argue how he knew which way to go. After all, he had never been to this place before yesterday, and he didn't know how to explain it. It was more intuition than fact, and he knew he was right, "It will lead us to a beach," he stated, knowing that was enough to get Lilith to keep moving.

He wasn't disappointed when she started to run again, taking his directions to mind as she started to run again. The chanting started to get louder, and arrows and other projectiles were being lodged into the trees behind them. Lilith held Andrew's hand tighter in her grip, and the boy didn't know if it was for his protection, or if his sister was as scared as he was.

The beach appeared, but as Andrew thought, it was an island. There was a small island in the background that resembled a skull, but he knew they wouldn't be able to get to it. Mostly because they didn't know how to swim since they didn't live by the coast. "What do we do?" Andrew asked, looking up at his out of breath sister.

"I…" She trailed out, letting out a quick gasp, "I do not know," she answered honestly, looking behind them only to find the cluster of boys. At the head of the formation was Peter Pan, who had his hands on his waist in an amused manner. Lilith narrowed her eyes at the teen boy before grabbing her bother and pushing him behind her.

"Now, now, Tiger Lily, what exactly were the two of you thinking?" Pan asked, started up the conversation, enjoying the fearful look in the boy's eyes, and the heated glare in the girl's. "Did you really think you could get off the island?" He asked, shaking his head in a lecturing manner. "I told you, didn't I? There's no escaping Neverland," he reminded the two siblings.

Pan started to walk over to them, making the siblings back up towards the ocean, "Take us home," Lilith tried to order again. At seeing the glee in the teen's eyes, she knew that was never going to be an option for the two of them, "We have done _nothing_ to you!" Lilith yelled in a desperate plea, switching from one extreme to another.

Andrew glanced down at the ground and found that there was something glimmering in the water, which they were currently backing into. He had no idea what they were, but they had scales that seemed to reflect the moonlight.

"Lil," he whispered, pulling the back of her bloodied shirt with a gentle tug to get her attention. She was too preoccupied with Pan that she had never even felt the small tug, and Andrew kept eyeing the water warily.

"True," Pan agreed with a smirk, "But you haven't given Neverland a chance," he reasoned, glancing to where Andrew was standing and noticed the incoming mermaids. He quickly shifted his gaze back up to the girl, who was still glaring at the teen. She didn't believe him, and that was fine with the teen. He just needed to stall them until the mermaid's attack.

Then, she would be eating out of the palm of his hands.

"I do not _wish_ to give it a chance," Lilith responded back, "We _wish_ to go _home_!" She borderline begged, trying to use anything in her favor to get the teen to understand. "We have a father who-

Pan let out a chuckle, walking closer to the siblings. His strides were mocking the duo in front of him, "A father who ignores his children!" He turned the argument back at her. He watched as the teen blinked in confusion and then in anger. He wasn't done with his speech, "Leaving nothing in his wake except unloved and lost little souls."

She shook her head, "He was only providing for the family! He does his best to make our lives better!" She yelled in anger, sticking up for her father. How dare this teen disrespect him in such a way, "His love is what we-!"

"The same love that got you two here in the first place?" Pan asked raising his voice only slightly, in a mocking way, liking to argue with his newest recruits. Purposefully cutting off the girl, she simply looked at him with a look of confusion. He liked to twist people's words to better benefit the situation.

He placed a smirk on his face, "Only lost children are welcome here, Lil," he lectured, as if talking to a small child.

"You do _not_ get the right to call me that," Lilith snapped back childishly. It was at that moment that the girl knew that if she stayed within Pan's vicinity, then he would control her. Her and her emotions. She glanced up at the teen and noticed his unchanging amusement and that damn smirk on his face. She would never resort to childish banter back in London, and this was an eye opener for her. She acted just how he wanted. She looked behind Andrew to make sure he was alright.

"Andrew?" She asked, knowing he had been silent for too long. Her heart plummeted down to her stomach when she realized that he was gone. "Andrew!" She called out, turning her back on Pan in favor of searching through the water. "Andy! Andy, where are you!?"

Pan teleported beside her in half a second, "Lost something?" He asked, leaning his arm on her shoulder. As soon as she felt the weight on her body, she immediately jolted her body away, as if his touch was venomous.

Lilith looked at him with accusation, " _What_ did you _do_?!" She accused, her nerves getting the better of her. She lost her brother once, she would not lose him again. Peter's smirk was enough of an answer to the girl. "Give him back!" She demanded, not liking the teen's knowing look towards her.

"You think that _I_ had something to do with this?" Pan asked, crossing his arms as he walked slowly towards the girl, "A notable accusation," he voiced out loud, as if he were taking it to memory, staring out into the ocean. Lilith took a few rushed steps back, but since she was in the water, and it was dark, she tripped over a large rock. She landed in the shallow water, drenching herself completely. "I'm not to blame, but it _was_ our local mermaids."

"M-Mermaids?" Lilith asked, not liking the sound of that. She had heard of such legends that the pirates would be shipwrecked by the demons who looked like women. The pirates would then be dragged into the deepest depths of the seas, their only option was to drown.

"No, no, no…" She mumbled in a hurried voice, trying to stand up from her fall, but found that she couldn't, "Andrew!" She yelled out into the ocean. Her brother couldn't be drowning, they were supposed to go home _together_.

How could she have not noticed?

How could she have not noticed that her brother was taken by one of those things?

"I was arguing with _him_ ," Lilith mumbled out.

She glanced up at Pan and found that he was looking down at her in a playful manner. She no doubt knew that the instant she had said it, he knew she was referring to him. "You were stalling me," she whispered out with wide eyes.

Pan's smirk was the only thing that confirmed her suspicions, as if he were silently saying 'guilty as charged!' and it infuriated her. "You want him back?" He taunted her, tilting his head ever so slightly. She looked at him hopelessly, "Do you trust me to get him back for you?" He asked, looking back into the ocean, "Your dear brother is out there, no doubt drowning," he added nonchalantly.

"Please!" Lilith pleaded, not caring how desperate she sounded or looked. She glanced down at the ocean water, not remembering the last time she had begged for something in her life. Her brother was dying, and the only one who could possibly save him was the teenager in front of her who was cunning and manipulative. She didn't trust him as far as she could throw him.

"Tell it to me, Lil," Pan's voice came from directly above. She looked up slowly and noticed that he was crouched in the water as well, "Tell me how desperately you want me to get him back," he taunted, the smirk back on his face.

"Tell me what you will do for me if I get you your brother," Pan added in a gentle tone. Lilith thought it was deceiving that the gentle voice he was using to say these dreaded demands and what they implied contradicted each other. She was scared of what she should say to get the teen to help her, and she shook her head, not finding any words that would get him to help her. She was scared of what he would make her do with the messed up reality of Neverland.

However, she was more scared of her brother leaving her alone in this hell by herself.

Lilith looked him in the eyes, throwing her pride away for the sake of her brother, "I will do anything," she mumbled, still not being able to stand. She didn't think that Pan wanted her to, regardless if she could. The teen most likely wanted her to look weak to him, and she could feel the smugness radiating off of him as he took in her answer.

Pan let out a half smirk and stood up, "Alright then, Lil," he said, snapping his fingers. She heard her brother gagging from the sea water on the beach. Lilith was snapped out of her defeated ruse and crawled over to her brother. Her clothes were soggy and soaked, but none of that mattered to the teen girl. Sand was attached to them, and as soon as she reached her brother, sand was tossed on his body from how fast she was moving.

"Andy!" She yelled, placing her brother's head on her lap so he could breathe better. Her hands were trembling, as was the rest of her body. She had never been so terrified in her life, and she still wasn't over the adrenaline rush from her fear. Lilith hugged her brother's head in her chest, careful to not block his air flow, "Andy, thank God!" She cheered, letting her true worries show. She rocked the both of them together on the beach, not noticing that Pan was walking over to her. She didn't say anything after that; she was only concerned for her brother.

"What do you say we get back to camp, Tiger Lily?" Pan asked, placing a cold hand on the girl's shoulder. He clenched his hand, and Lilith held in a flinch from the sudden pain. She looked up at Pan, and the teen could feel the girl's emotions. She was lost, and her eyes portrayed it the most. She looked down at her brother and refused to let go of him.

Pan let out a chuckle, "Yes, he can come with us," he said, letting Lilith's hands become looser on her brother. The teen couldn't help but think that she was asking him to allow her brother entrance to the camp. It was amusing to him that she was so consumed in her emotions that she had allowed herself to become lost. He placed a hand into hers and held her hand tight.

With a tight squeeze, she was up on her feet and was walking with him. He used a small amount of his magic to make the girl more despondent. Pan noticed that she was in some sort of trance, no doubt because of his influence. He glanced at the Lost Ones and darted his head towards the barely alive boy on the beach uncaringly. The group of lost souls caught the message and went to carry the boy back to camp, all the while chuckling and dancing around the boy.

* * *

 **(Present)**

"How long have you…" Mary Margret trailed, noticing that Tiger Lily wasn't one for many words. She furrowed her brows at that thought, or any words at all. She glanced back at David for encouragement, and he nodded, "How long have you been in Neverland?" She asked, trying to get to know their new friend more.

"What year is it out there?" Tiger Lily asked solemnly, knowing that she could do the simple math to calculate it herself. She herself had given up on counting the days, and then she gave up on the years. Mary Margret was surprised by how soon she replied, that she was caught off guard by the sudden question.

David cleared his throat, "Twenty Fourteen," he answered, watching the girl for any hint of surprise. Instead she merely shrugged, not surprised that she had been in the Hell that was Neverland for so long.

She cut down a small tree that was in her way, still not having any emotion displayed on her face. There was silence for a few seconds, and Emma glanced around the area of the forest. She needed to make sure that they wouldn't be attacked again.

Or as easily as before.

It was an eye opener, and it told them all, especially Emma, that danger can lurk in any dark corner of the forest.

Tiger Lily turned to look at Snow, "Close to a century," she stated, making Regina become surprised at the answer.

"You're bluffing!" Regina said in honest confusion. Tiger Lily looked back at the woman, daring her to question the teen on her own age, "You would be older than me, older than most of us here!" She mused, shaking her head, "I refuse to believe, that you're what, one hundred and four!" She exclaimed with a scoff.

"Time is meaningless in Neverland," she stated, shrugging her shoulders gently before cutting down a tree once again, "You can't rely on the sun for the days…or the moon for nights," she explained, walking over the downed tree that she had cut ruthlessly seconds before.

David rose an eyebrow, "Why is that?" He asked, continuing the conversation. He found it odd that you couldn't count the days.

That's how most did in the Enchanted Forest.

How people did it in Storybrooke.

Hook was the one to answer, walking faster to catch up to the group and be involved in the conversation, "Pan controls the days and the nights, mate," he stated grimly, "He isn't the King of Neverland for nothing," he spat out, remembering the long nights if Pan so wished it. Weather was entirely up to a teenager, and the dark and cunning teen liked the night the most.

And, as the rules would have it, what the king wants, he attained.

"Get down," Tiger Lily ordered to the group as they reached a small clearing where a camp was. "There's a campfire here," she informed to the people in the back of the group who couldn't see what she was seeing.

"Yet, no one is stationed…" Tiger trailed, making Regina crawl her way to the front. The black haired woman was going to charge to the fire and encounter the Neverland punks who stole her son. She was about to, but the girl suddenly had her sword positioned to prevent people from doing such reckless acts. The sword was placed in front of Regina's face, making the woman narrow her eyes and look up at the teen who had decided to interfere with her.

"What is the _meaning_ of this?!" Regina hissed, looking straight in the teen's eyes. The Queen was a little speechless by what she saw in them. She saw nothing but determination and coldness in those dark green orbs of hers.

It was as if the teen was dead, and yet living.

Regina would need to see if she had a heart later, that would be the only reason why the girl would be this way.

Fin chose this time to speak up, "The girl did say that you would be dead without a weapon," he spoke for the first time in front of the teen. Tiger glanced back at the man with the glasses, a little surprised that anyone in this group had actually listened to what she had said at the very beginning, "That, and I don't think she wants you to give out her position."

Hook glanced at his friend with a raised eyebrow, "Teach is right," he agreed, "I vote that we watch and see what happens," he stated. Upon seeing the glares of Regina and Emma he let out a small teasing smile, "Unless you _want_ an ambush?"

"Ugh, fine!" Regina scowled before backing down. She crawled backwards, letting them choose the stealthy route instead of her usual one. The kind that leaves trails of dead bodies behind with no mercy. Emma glanced at Regina and ushered her to come to her, "What is it, Swan?" She asked as they both moved away from the group.

"Look, Regina, I know that you want to find Henry," she stated, watching as Regina displayed her typical eye roll at that, "And I think we need to hurry," she said suddenly, making Regina's eyes widen at that. Goody Goody Emma Swan was thinking rashly, "He could be in danger, and taking the easy route isn't getting us to him any faster."

David carefully walked over to Hook, "How much do you know about this…Tiger Lily?" He asked in a hushed tone.

"A fine, outgoing lass," Hook stated with a shrug. He received an elbow in the ribs from Fin, as well as a shake of the head. "Although, that was almost sixty years ago," he commented, "I don't know what kind of torture Pan put her through, but by the looks of things…" He trailed, darting his head towards the girl was had her back turned to the group. She was watching the camp site, waiting for somebody to show up. Her hand was reaching into her small belt of weapons and pulled out a knife. She let it danced around the space of her fingers before the blade rested on her thumb. The teen then twirled it around in her hand expertly before holding it tightly, waiting for the inevitable fight, "It isn't good."

"Tamara and Greg proved to be useful," stated a Lost Boy as he entered the area. Tiger slowed her breathing, knowing that the encounter was drawing near. She wanted to be one the first ones to plunge her blade into the boy. Snow placed her hand off her mouth and watched intently when a second boy entered the camp site with his hands placed lazily behind his head.

"About as useful as a dull spear," chided another Lost Boy, "Good for one thing, and then garbage the next," he said, rolling his eyes, "I'm glad they're gone, adults are gross!"

Tiger Lily was suddenly on the balls of her feet, ready to pounce at a seconds notice. Mary Margret could clearly see why she was called what she was. She resembled much like a cat with the way she carried herself. Not to mention her eyes, they stalked her prey, waiting for the right chance to strike.

Mary Margret prepared her bow, and looked over at Tiger Lily. The girl did a small nod, but before she could run out and confront them, Emma and Regina were already walking over to the camp sight. The teen did a double take to where they were positioned when she had seen them. She then noticed the small trail that they had caused through the bushes. She glanced to the men, and then to the front again. She found the situation annoying that adults didn't listen to her.

Especially the two who seemed to be the most _weak_ in the group.

"Hey there, boys," Emma called out to them, alerting them to her presence. Tiger Lily scowled at her tactics of pursuit. Not having the element of surprise for an attack was a hindrance in Neverland. If that were Pan, she would already be dead.

The boys turned to look at the blonde woman, "Having a nice campfire?" She asked while stretching her hands.

"You see," Regina began, also doing the same action, "We're looking for our son. His name's Henry, but I'm sure you _knew_ that," she stated with a scoff, her glare darkening with every minute that passed.

Mary Margret looked back at her husband, "What are they doing? Their magic doesn't work here!" She yelled, making David just nod in silent agreement, "We need to _do_ something," she hissed out, quickly standing up and aiming her bow with an arrow prepped. From her hiding spot, it would be a complete blind attack.

Tiger Lily noticed that David and Hook were already making their way over to the scene, and the girl decided that she would stay put. She had been off of Pan's radar for twenty years, and she didn't want these strangers to ruin that for her. If the Lost Boys survived this encounter and babbled back to their leader of their adventure, then they would no doubt mention her in their tale.

Needless to say, it seemed as if they had everything under control.

"The hell!" A Lost Boy called out, grabbing his spear and forcing it in the women's direction. Regina froze the spear in midair. The boys watched in amazement at the use of magic that wasn't Pan, and then they started to smirk at one another. Regina rose an eyebrow, not the reaction she was expecting from the two brats.

Then, the frozen spear bursted in midair. The spear then shot up into the sky and broke off into three different lights. Fireworks erupted in the area, making Tiger Lily panic. She glanced to the sky, her eyes wide at just how drastic the chain of events had turned. Red, blue, and green sparks filled the sky, and never before had the girl been so afraid of lights.

"We need to _move_ ," she informed to Fin harshly, who nodded with her, "Go tell Hook," she ordered, moving into a battle position.

Mary Margret was confused at what was taking place, "What do you mean? What's happening?" She asked glancing at the teen, but still paying attention to the encounter that was taking place in front of her. One eye on her friends, and one eye on the enemy.

"Pan is coming," Tiger hissed out before launching herself in the air. Mary Margret was surprised when she teleported in the middle of the air before landing on one of the unsuspecting boys. She plunged the knife into the chest, and the boy let out an agonizing shriek of pain. They both fell to the ground, she watched how the boy's eyes widened at the appearance of her.

"Tiger Lily?!" The Lost Boy yelled, in shock that the girl was in front of him. Pan had warned all of them that she was even more of a threat than she was before. That the Indian girl wouldn't waste a second to kill anyone she came across.

Glaring at the kid in front of her, she gave no reply back to the stunned trembling boy. She twisted her weapon harshly, knowing that it had pierced the boy's heart, offering the lost boy the quick release of death.

"We _need_ to go!" Tiger yelled, making the women look at the girl strangely.

Not once had she risen her voice to them, "Why?" Regina asked incredulously, "We're about to figure out where Henry is," she said in a dark tone as she eyed the lone boy greedily. Regina hadn't planned on the teenager killing the boy, but all she really needed was one to give her information. The boy, however, was amused and was laughing. This, Regina thought, was odd. Here a boy was, looking death in the face, and he wasn't afraid.

Not to mention he had seen his brother being murdered in cold blood not even a few feet away.

"Oh! Pan is coming! Pan is coming!" The boy yelled, making Tiger Lily begin to panic slightly. She knew what was coming, and if she didn't run from this group now, then the girl would have an encounter with the Devil. "He's been looking for _you_! He's going to be so happy that _you're_ back!"

She stood up, her hands shaking, not from murder, but from the fear that Pan still instilled within her. Taking a few steps away, intent on running and saving her own skin, the boy would not stop. He kept chanting the same saying over and over, and it was beginning to bother her.

She let out a growl and twirled her knife in her hand, a move that brought force with her attack, before plunging it in his throat.

"Tiger Lily, no!" Mary Margret yelled from behind the safety of the shrubs that had camouflaged the group before. She quickly turned away and closed her eyes when she saw the red liquid in massive amounts.

Blood shot out of his neck like a fountain, and Emma, as well as Regina, took multiple steps back in disgust and amazement. Emma looked completely disgusted at the murder that had taken place in front of her. Regina looked on in amazement at the girl's complete ruthless tactics.

Contempt at the moment, and the satisfaction of one less Lost Boy roaming around, she took out her knife emotionlessly. She placed the knife against the ground and rubbed it against the blades of grass to get most of the blood off of the blade. She didn't like the thought of carrying even a trace of blood from the Lost Boy's around with her.

"What…" Emma trailed with wide eyes, still shocked at his murder, "What did you do! He was going to tell us answers! Where Henry was!"

Tiger glanced at her in pity and then took one step forward; she needed to get away from this area, and she didn't have the time to argue about how wrong all of them were.

She bumped into someone who had not been there seconds prior, and a firm hand grasped her wrist. It clenched it possessively, and the girl who was usually casted as emotionless showed emotion for the first time in front of the group - pain.

"Ah, that's where you're wrong," Pan said, making Tiger Lily start to panic. She faced the front and was met face to face with the teen, their noses almost touching, "My brothers don't tell _strangers_ anything, I'm afraid."

Mary Margret shot her arrow at Pan, and the teen rose up his free hand and snapped his fingers. The arrow turned to a snake. It plopped to the ground and then began to slither away. Tiger, who was still struggling to be released began to make the teen laugh in amusement.

"Sneak attacks aren't pleasant. Let's have everyone be out here," Pan stated, waving his hand over where the rest of the group was.

In a flash, everyone who was in the group appeared before Pan, "Where's Henry!" Regina demanded to know, true animosity being shown at the teen in front of them. Pan looked over at the woman with a smug smile. Regina did everything in her power to not lash out against the teenager - she knew it wouldn't have gotten her anywhere to begin with.

Her magic didn't work here.

That much was painfully clear.

"Somewhere he belongs," Pan answered cryptically. He then looked Tiger Lily in the eyes who stared fearfully back up at him.

She tried to remain unattached - to be cold and emotionless.

Yet, all that work was for nothing when she was faced with the Devil himself.

He let out a slow smile, letting his voice go barely above a whisper "You were leading them to me, _weren't_ _you_ , Lil?" He asked, enjoying the look in her eyes.

"Let go of me," Tiger demanded in a low tone, keeping the fear out of her voice. She purposefully avoided his question, determined to not let him feel dominance over her. Pan smirked at her attempt to sound confident and redirected his gaze towards the group of misfits before him.

After all, he would deal with her when he brought her back to camp.

"Let's see…" Pan trailed, looking at each individual person, "We have a pirate with a drinking problem," he said, looking at Hook, who gave him a glare back, "A princess and daughter of king Leopold himself," he said, looking to Mary Margret, who glanced over at Tiger in worry, "A fake prince," Pan added, knowing what had transpired in the Enchanted Forest, "A Dark Queen," Pan chuckled, looking at how powerless Regina was, and finding the irony more amusing than he should have, "A savior," he added, rolling his eyes at how self-conceited that title was, "And…" He trailed looking at the Professor in the crowd. "Interesting, I thought I _killed_ you."

At this statement, everyone looked at Fin with curiosity. Tiger looked back at the man with narrowed eyes. She knew he looked familiar to her, but she just now understood why.

"Andrew," she stated, and at the guilty glance that Fin gave her, she knew she was right. She stared at her brother with relief, ecstatic out of her mind to believe that he was alive. It was decades of remorse and anger being lifted off of her shoulders. Mary Margret saw the transition from desolate to alive in a matter of seconds.

Her eyes brightened from her cold lifeless ones, "Andrew," she muttered, disbelief in her voice.

Pan, however, didn't like the reunion of the siblings, and chose that moment to break Tiger Lily's wrist. She let out a hiss, but held in her scream. She looked back over at Pan with anger and disgust, "How cute, Lil, your little brother is indeed alive," he stated, enjoying the torment on her face.

The longing that she wanted to join back with her brother, but couldn't knowing that Pan held her in his grasp.

He loved seeing her trapped, and that he was the only one who could save her from her cage. A cage that he himself put her there in the first place. "I know how much you two want to catch up. Sixty years is a _long_ _time_ to be separated."

"I'm not falling for that," Tiger hissed out through her pain, knowing that Pan wouldn't let her go once he held her. She had avoided him for as long as she thought possible, it was only a matter of time before she was caught. Not to mention, if she were to beg to be let go, then she would only be dug deeper into the grave that she had dug.

With Pan telling her to keep digging.

"If you did, I would kill your brother and his gang of misfits right now," Pan promised darkly with a sly smirk on his face. Tiger narrowed her eyes and chose to look at the ground rather than his prideful face. Her only family was so close, and yet so far away.

Fin cleared his throat, making Pan glance at him, a special darkness in his eyes, "And how _exactly_ , are you able to do this magic?" He asked, making Tiger tense up at the question. Pan noticed it and turned her wrist harshly, forcing her to turn and face the group.

Tiger tried to glance at the ground, "What a lovely story, and one that I will tell," Pan promised his happy smile ever present on his face. Tiger tried to claw her way out of his grip once again not wanting this story to be told, "You see, Tiger Lily here helped me live forever."

 **To be continued…**


	3. Neverland is Never Alright

**A/N: Weekly update! A little bit of warning (trigger warning) in this chapter at the mention of suicide. Gotta keep this PG-13, so you know how it is with warning and stuff.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything, my dude.**

* * *

And I said, ashes to ashes, we all fall down,

I wanna hear you sing the praise,

I said, ashes to ashes, we all fall down,

We got innocence for days!

~ House of Wolves, MCR

* * *

 **CH.3: Neverland is Never Alright**

 **(Past)**

"Andrew, Andrew…" Lilith kept mumbling over and over again. A chant that held her together, a chant that Pan was starting to dislike. He knew that her brother kept her sane - kept her from being lost. He needed to end that, and he just may have had the solution with that mermaid trick.

Did he plan it?

Of course not, but did he see an opportunity and take it?

Letting out a small, unnoticeable grin at his work, he sat down by the rocking teen on the log that was positioned in front of the campfire. She held her hands together while her elbows were placed on her legs. Her whole entire body was trembling. It was from both the cold water and the fear of losing her brother.

"Lil," he whispered, brushing his hand against her exposed arm. Upon closer inspection, there was a red line on her arm, an injury that one of their daggers had caused in the pursuit. "He might not make it."

Lilith looked up at him with fear in her eyes, "W-What?" She asked, she immediately stopped her rocking, but now her shaking increased, "N-No, surely you are wrong…" She whispered, not looking away from the teen in front of her. His expression was neutral, and she couldn't see any traces of lies on it. "I…I cannot go home without him."

"You still think you can go home?" Pan asked in a small amount of disbelief, looking into her eyes as he drew her in with his words. He let out a smile and placed a cold hand on her slightly warmer body, "You're not going home," he said, a chilling smile on his face. Her heartbeat started to slow down as she listened to the words whole heartedly. "Because I'm not going to let you," he promised, his smile turning into a smirk.

"Get away from me!" Lilith yelled suddenly, standing up from the log, pushing the teen behind her as she stood up. He moved backwards an inch before he righted himself back up as if nothing had happened. She started angrily stomping around the campfire, her arms crossed to keep her warmer, "I _will_ find a way to get home. _With_ my brother," she promised right back, as she stopped walking and looked right at Pan with determination, "And away from _you_."

Pan chuckled as he floated off the log and stood himself up. Lilith took a step back at the blatant use of magic right in front of her. Pan wouldn't let her move very far as he put an unyielding hand on her shoulder, preventing her from moving away, "That sounds like a challenge," he responded, liking the narrowed eyes that the girl before him was sending him.

"I happen to like challenges," he said in a gentler tone as he took a long lock of the girl's long hair in his hand, "I like to break challenges and mold them as trophies."

Lilith snapped his hand away, making him drop her hair in return, "You're vile," she hissed out, walking away from the teen. Pan knew she was heading to the medical tent where they had her recovering brother. Of course, he was lying about him not recovering from almost drowning. If Lilith had been a second later in her decision to rely on him, then the boy would have met his death tonight.

He watched her leave, watching as she almost tripped over the large exposed tree roots that were around the campsite.

"You say the sweetest things," Pan muttered, fully aware that she wouldn't be able to hear him. He walked away from the fire and started to wonder about the trivial matter on his hands; how would he stop himself from dying?

* * *

 **(Present)**

"How?" Fin demanded, not liking the enjoyment in Pan's eyes. He stopped looking at Pan and decided to look at his long lost sister. He missed her - it has been a long time, and he had to grow up without parents, along with his sister who he considered as his best friend.

"Easy now, Dent," Pan chided back, making Regina look at him with a glare.

"Just _how_ many names do you _have_?" Regina commented, though it went ignored by the group. The promised story was enough to make everyone focus. Not to mention that the teen who had stolen Henry was in front of them.

They were all waiting for an opening.

They didn't need to wait long before the fierce warrior decided to act.

Tiger quickly grabbed a knife from her belt and swung it behind her to try and hit the teen. He grabbed it with his free hand and placed the girl's hand behind her back, twisting it as he did so. She let out a frustrated hiss and not being able to get free.

The knife that she was holding was dropped to the ground, and Pan watched his refection from the blade of the weapon. It showed him winning against the defiant girl, and he was enjoying every second of it.

Fin took a step forward, as did Hook, who were both ready to attack Pan in the defense of protecting the teen girl. To them, she was family – like a sister. Fin, for his actual sister, and Hook, for whom he considered Tiger as a sister.

"Careful, Lil," Pan whispered into her ear. She tensed her body as his vile breath touched her ear. Wanting nothing more than to pick up the knife and plunge it deep within his throat. Many times she wished to see him choking on his own blood as he died a most terrible and painless death.

She glanced back at Pan, letting him know that she had heard his warning, "You should watch out yourself, Pan," she stated, making him chuckle at the fire that Tiger still held within her. Even after twenty years away from him – she still had not learned her place.

"Of what?" Pan asked condescendingly, knowing that she wouldn't be able to do anything, "You can't do anything against me, Tiger Lily, you should know _that_ by now," he stated, liking that he held all the cards in his hands.

However, Tiger could prove to be a wild card that he could and could not control at the same time.

"Can't I?" Tiger challenged, making Pan's eyes narrow in suspicion, "You don't hide from Peter Pan for twenty years and not have a few tricks up your sleeves," she notified.

"But darling, you aren't wearing any sleeves…" Pan quipped back, looking her in the eyes. She hadn't broken her gaze from him, and he wondered briefly why that was. Yet, he couldn't look away – he had missed those brilliant green eyes of hers. He had never seen such a color before, and that was partly why he wanted her initially.

Fin watched his sister with interest, wondering what she was talking about. He had an idea though, Native Americans themselves had traps all around their camps. Pan never saw her kick a stone into the woodlands to the left of them. By the time the stone had activated a rope trap, Pan could barely dodge in time as a giant log launched at him and Tiger.

Tiger kicked Pan in the shin, and then dodge rolled away from her captive, just as he was trying to grab her once again. The log crashed in between the two teens, and each looked at each other with a certain intensity.

Tiger remained composed, but her breath raised up in down in both fear and disbelief. She had caught the mighty Peter Pan by surprise, and that was an amazing feat in itself. Pan was looking at her in amusement, "Oh, Tiger," he drawled out, standing on his feet slowly. "Nice trick."

Fin rushed over to his sister and wanted to look at her wrist immediately. He was going to tend to it as he placed her rough hand in his bigger one. Upon examination though, it was automatically healed, and he had no idea why. He looked into the eyes of his sister to talk to her, but found that her gaze was never broken from the teenager.

Likewise, Pan would not look up from the girl.

And the group realized this was a silent conversation 'It's your move'.

"Your hand," Fin addressed, making conversation whether the two wanted to have it.

Pan's focus shifted immediately to the man expertly, "You noticed?" He asked with a small smile tugging on his lips, "The magic of Neverland spreads through the both of us," he informed. "Now, Lil, mind if I tell the story?" He asked the girl on the ground.

"Fuck you," Tiger spat out as she stood up, snatching her wrist from her brother. Fin, who was not used to hearing such language come from his sister's mouth was in shock. Mary Margret widened her eyes, as did David for hearing a girl that age swear like a sailor. Emma gave a smirk at the girl, proud that she wouldn't back down.

"What these people need to know is that you have their son," she stated, grabbing the attention of the rest of the crowd from behind her. "I would hate to be standing over there, Pan."

"Is that so?" Pan asked sarcastically, looking at the band of people to judge them, "One possesses magic, but cannot use it here, and the other…" He trailed, looking over at Emma with a smirk, "Does not know how to use that sword."

Emma glanced over incredulously at Regina, wondering how people knew that she didn't know how to handle the sword in her hands. Regina let out a shrug, not caring about Emma's small problems at the moment before focusing her attention on the teen who held her son.

"I have a proposition," Pan addressed the group, watching with amusement how they tensed with his words. Tiger, Fin, and Hook in particular since they knew that whenever Pan wanted to make a deal, it would literally cost a life. "You get Henry back if…you hand over my dear Tiger Lily."

Tiger growled at him and took out another knife, "Go to hell," she hissed out, throwing the weapon towards its intended target. Emma wondered how many more knives the teenager held as she raised her eyebrows, and Hook made a coy smirk over at Emma.

A silent conversation that stated that Neverland was a dangerous place and that no one should expect anything less from the island. Or its inhabitants for that matter.

Pan paused the knife in mid-air before he grabbed it by the blade. Blood trailed down his hand, but he didn't seem to care about the pain or the red substance. He hadn't felt pain in a long time, and it was of no circumstance to him how reckless he was wielding a weapon.

He glanced over at the teen girl. The challenge that was Tiger Lily proved to be worth the long wait. It had been decades since he had last seen her, but he certainly hadn't missed the knives that accompanied her. Or her almost nearly perfect aim.

"You should know that this game of ours always comes to a close," Pan said, discarding the knife into his pocket as a memento. Tiger followed his actions with her eyes, making a mental note that he now possessed one of her weapons in case she needed to take it back.

"In fact, because you insist on running from me, it caused me to steal Henry to begin with…" He trailed, shrugging his shoulders. "You should do these nice people a _favor_ and just come with me."

"He's lying," Tiger insisted once she felt all of their gazes land on her back. She knew how Pan played people, and she hoped that they wouldn't simply hand her over. These people - if her brother and Hook were around them - already sparked an impression with her. They seemed good, but she never trusted anybody on this island.

She had nothing to use to plead her case, instead she spoke the truth. "He will keep Henry as a trophy regardless if he has me as well."

Pan crossed his arms, "Now, that doesn't sound like me," he said, his tone feigning disappointment. He outstretched a hand to the girl as if offering her a chance to turn herself in. She couldn't help but stare at it – as if it would kill her if she took that hand.

And in many ways – it would. That hand always killed her, and she was no longer who she used to be when she first arrived on the island.

"What do you say, Lil?" He asked, watching as she took a step backward. The teen knew she still feared him, that much was obvious, but he was looking for that one emotion of hers to resurface. He wasn't let down when he saw a flicker of her being lost in those dull green eyes of hers.

But to him, those dull green eyes were the most beautiful shade of green he had ever witnessed.

No doubt the emotion had risen up when he offered the deal. She was beginning to trust and then the fear of trust being broken was leaving her in a state of confusion. A confusion that he loved to recognize. He loved to see his most fierce fighter becoming lost, and all thanks to the people in front of him. He would have spoken words of gratitude, but he was more focused on the Indian girl who took another step back, her body starting to break out into a tremble.

Mary Margret took a few steps towards the girl and pushed her back, protectively, away from Pan.

"She's not going with you," she spat out, defending the girl she had just met. She knew that the girl had problems - that was certain - but she saw parts of herself in that girl, and she knew she couldn't abandon her to this psycho. She too, was lost before she found David; before she found everyone she knew and loved. She knew what it was like with someone hunting you down simply because they could. It struck a chord within her, and she would guard this child to the best of her abilities.

"You won't touch her," Hook hissed out, through with leaving people he thought fondly of in Neverland. Baelfire and Lilith, they had both deserved to go home. He betrayed them both, and the pirate only hoped that he could start making it up to them.

To both of them.

If they would let him.

"We'll get Henry back, but _not_ by listening to you," Fin spoke to the teen as he stood up from his crouched position. "You will _not_ abuse my sister any longer!" He yelled out as he stared the teenager in the eyes courageously, unlike all the times he had before in his youth. He simply wasn't terrified of the man like he was before.

Perhaps that would be his downfall once again.

"I was only asking _nicely_ , Dent," Pan spoke to Fin before turning his focus to Tiger Lily. She saw a flicker of green in the palm of his hands and knew that he was about to summon something dangerous. Her eyes widened and she quickly put up a white barrier from the teenager as daggers rained from the sky. Everyone in the group crouched down as the daggers made a banging sound against the barrier. First it was daggers, then spears, and then were the axes that the Lost Boys used.

"Lil, drop the barrier," Pan ordered darkly, walking over to where the barrier was located. He raised a hand and tried to dismiss it as quickly as possible. At first, he couldn't disarm it like he had wanted, but he only had to wait.

It was a matter of time before the use of Neverland's magic wears down on the girl.

Tiger placed her hands forward, sustaining the barrier from the onslaught of weapons. "I'm _not_ letting you kill these people," she struggled to say from using her magic. The dome barrier covered a large portion of the area, and she wasn't sure if she could protect everyone. "I know how it feels to die," she stated, her full hate being directed at the teen who was merely watching her in interest.

Pan shrugged nonchalantly and quickly changed the subject, "Your magic is stronger than mine, you think?" He asked, raising his hand, about to touch the barrier.

"Yes," Tiger hissed out with clenched teeth. Her entire body was becoming less and less stable. It was almost to the point where she thought that she would pass out.

"You sure?" He taunted, drawing his hand closer to the barrier, about to cancel out her magic. He waited for her to surrender to him, but when she didn't he placed a smirk on his face. He didn't hold back and was about to place his hand on the white transparent shield.

"Stop!" Tiger yelled out, her eyes wide with panic. Pan slowly lowered his hand with a chuckle, knowing that this would happen all along. "Call off the attack," she said, uncertain if her demand would work. He could just kill them all when she called off her magic. He would revive her, but he wouldn't bring back anyone else.

She hated how he was the 'King' of Neverland.

"Pan, please…" She trailed, her energy leaving her as she fell to the ground. A single hand of hers was still illuminated, and she knew her magic was still working. However, she knew it wouldn't be for long. Exhaustion was overcoming her, and she had no idea how Pan could keep using his magic for as long as he was. Soon, everyone in the group was on the ground, all of their energy having being drained due to Neverland's magical properties.

All magic came with a price, and unfortunately Neverland's magic comes a price and something more. Not only did it affect the person casting the magic; it drained the people and objects around the caster.

Pan touched the barrier mercilessly, and Tiger saw that her hand had stopped glowing from the corner of her eye. As soon as the teen boy walked into the circle, the weapons stopped falling from the sky. Tiger tried to move, but found that the magic was too much for her. There was a thought in her mind that screamed at her that this is what Pan had planned all along. She was caught, and she knew that Pan would take her.

"Do you remember what I said to you twenty years ago, Lil?" he asked, walking up to the teen. The girl could feel his cold unforgiving hands touch her arms. She tried to refrain from letting out a shiver at the unwanted physical contact, but Pan noticed it regardless of her efforts. "When you managed to escape me?" He clarified.

Tiger tried to roll her body away from him, but he grabbed her into his arms and stood up, "That you need to grow up?" She spat out, knowing exactly what was said all that time ago.

She would never willingly say what Pan wanted to hear.

"That you would never escape me again," Pan stated, looking at the downed adults from the magic fumes of Neverland. He wasn't surprised, not many could handle their magic, much less use it.

"I meant it, Lil," he promised. Tiger narrowed her eyes up at the teen and found the dark desire in those orbs of his. She tried once more to get away, but he simply pulled her back with his brute strength. Her face was pressed against his chest, and she wanted to be dead right at that second.

Death would be a better outcome than going back to camp with Pan.

"L-Let her go!" Fin struggled to say as he crawled towards Pan on the ground. Pan glanced at the man with disgust. After all, the teen could have sworn he had killed him, he wasn't overjoyed that the man was still alive. "I-I just f-found her!"

Pan looked down at the man with a smirk, enjoying how defeated he sounded, "And now you've lost her again," he added, walking away a few steps. Tiger was reaching for her brother with her limp arms, and Pan took notice. He grabbed her hand and clenched it in his possessively. She did all she could to keep the pain that accompanied Pan's strength at bay.

She would _not_ look weak in front of him.

"Do you feel that, Tiger Lily?" He asked rhetorically, knowing that she couldn't. She would never be able to feel what her presence provided him, "The sand has stopped."

Tiger looked up at him with a glare and let out a miserable scowl, "Why won't you die already?"

* * *

 **(Past)**

Lilith was very protective of her brother after that. She would never let him leave her sights, including when he went to the bathroom. Andrew didn't mind, he was too scared to complain. They had chosen to elude Pan's camp for the time being, and tried to find a way off the island once again.

Lilith examined how filthy her clothes were getting and looked at her little brother's attire, "Andy, we should best get our clothes cleaned," she stated, "And ourselves…" She trailed, just now noticing the dirt and grime that came with running through the jungle.

Andrew agreed, but he didn't know if anywhere was safe with Pan watching over them constantly. At least, that's the feeling he got from the teen King. "I found it odd that he knew exactly where we were," he mused out loud, drawing his sister in with his light conversation. "Down at the beach…and with the mermaids…" He trailed out.

"What are you implying, Andy?" Lilith asked, genuinely confused. Her brother was the scholar, but she had the brute strength. "That he can somehow know our location?" She asked, making her brother nod, "That we shouldn't even _try_ to escape because he will never allow it…" She muttered, looking down at the ground.

Pan's words from her first night in Neverland rang out in her head.

"I didn't say _that_ ," Andrew defended, his eyes wide with alarm, "I _want_ to go home, Lil," he complained in a small tone. Lilith glanced at her brother, knowing that even though he sounded well beyond his years, he was still a scared little boy.

"I miss father," he whispered.

Lilith felt the need to place her hand on her brother's back, a small comfort to notify him that she was with him.

"I do, too," she whispered back at him. It was then that they had arrived at a small lake, and her eyes lit up at the opportunity to get freshened up. After all, she was in a jungle for at least two days, and Andrew was there for three. Both were in dire need to be bathed.

"Look, our luck just may be changing!" She squealed out, trying to get her brother to get excited about their small discovery. It was a pleasant thing to see – given their current circumstances. They were lost on an island that they were kidnapped to, and beyond dirty. This would help them relax and forget about their problems, at least for a few moments.

They walked down to the lake and slowly Lilith took off her corset, unsure about taking off all of her clothes. Andrew, however, was stripped to his boxers and glanced over at his sister. "Are you coming in?" He asked in a slow tone, not sure of why his sister was taking so long.

"Yes…" She trailed out, looking down at her tattered clothing and then decided to take it off. Her brother saw bruises on her mid-section, and his eyes widened in surprise. For some reason, the air in Neverland seemed to agitate the bruises, and Andrew could have sworn he saw them start to swirl; as if they were made of complete darkness, but yet still alive.

"In!" She yelled at her brother, making him scamper into the lake. She was down to her bra and underwear, and she was holding her arms to her mid-section, even though it wasn't cold outside.

The bruises were a reminder that she had needed to be the woman of the household – that she could no longer be rebellious against the family. Memories on how she attained these bruises were vague, and yet somewhat unclear. Yet, she knew that she didn't always have them. Something caused her to get them on her body, but she couldn't recall how.

It was a message, but to her it wasn't a badge of honor. When going to the beach, she always made sure to cover up. When dressing out for physical education in school, she would always get dressed in a separate room. She didn't want the attention, and she certainly didn't want any questions.

"It's actually…nice!" Andrew chided, letting his body get absorbed into the lake, but still not venturing too far in since he had almost drowned the night previously.

Lilith entered the lake quickly, adamant on first taking care of the things that were in her hair. Her hair was similar to her mothers, and she wanted it to look nice. Since she didn't have her mother's blue eyes to remember her, she instead had the same hair color as her. The memory of her mother needed to be kept alive, and this was the best way the teenager could do it.

Andrew played with the water for a while, but stopped when he felt something watching him. He glanced to where the gaze was coming from and quickly moved to where his sister was wading.

Lilith was currently preoccupied with getting the leaves and twigs from her long hair. Without a brush to maintain her locks, they were starting to get matted, and she hated feeling unruly. She felt movement beside her in the water, and her eyes glanced at the form of her younger brother.

"Andy, are you feeling well?" She asked, at seeing her brother completely frozen next to her. She suddenly got the idea when she heard a twig being deliberately snapped. She quickly ducked her mid-section deeper into the water, knowing that they had unwanted company.

Out of nowhere, the Lost Ones began to chant and howl as they danced along the land where they had their clothes. Lilith's eyes went wide, but she couldn't move to get out of the water. She hated her mid-section showing.

Andrew, however, had no problem with standing up to yell at them, "Hey! Leave us alone!" He yelled, cupping his hands over his mouth. Lilith tried to get him deeper into the water.

What if they were going to fling a weapon at him, as they had done the night previously when they were being chased?

"Those aren't yours!" Andrew yelled again, at seeing the boy's pick up their clothing and running away with them.

"You better give those back!" Lilith warned from inside the lake. She didn't notice a teen hovering in front of her with his legs crossed in enjoyment. "Goodness!" She yelled out, backing herself deeper into the lake. She suddenly became aware that there were boys entering the lake that were older than her – and she wasn't fully dressed.

"Tiger Lily," Pan welcomed, but the girl refused to look at him. At seeing that he wasn't getting through to the girl, he changed targets to the brother. "Dent," he said in a friendly voice, yet, the smirk that was placed on his face meant the exact opposite. Andrew let out a glare of his own and reached for his sister's hand that was currently under the water.

"Wonderful day," he chided, enjoying how fumed the girl was becoming just by the sight of him. "Enjoying a bath, are you?" He asked, knowing that the girl wouldn't speak to him, he looked back at the boy.

Andrew splashed at the teen, and when the water landed on him, Pan let out a slow smile. His outfit got drenched, and he simply floated there and took it. A few seconds passed, and Lilith's eyes grew wide. She certainly didn't want any trouble from the leader of the unruly group. And, if what he said gave the girl any indication of their predicament, he would be the one to dictate when they were able to leave.

If they were able to leave at all.

"Andrew!" Lilith accosted, as she glanced up at the teen with a worried expression on her face. She was panicked, not knowing if the boy was going to retaliate with a weapon, or an attack. Her worry was quickly vanishing when he unveiled a dark smirk as he started to laugh. It was soon replaced with unmasked fear.

Pan uncrossed his legs and simply stood there, standing in the air, "It appears as though I also have a need to bathe," he responded, watching as the girl's eyes widened. Lilith had figured out his plan too late. He had wanted one of them to splash him just so that he could enter the water with them.

It wasn't as if he needed an excuse to do what he wanted, it just had made the situation easier for him to enter.

"We are finished, so if you can just wait a few seconds-!" Lilith began to explain, but was cut off when Pan let out a loud whistle with his voice. Andrew placed his hands to his ears, and Lilith resorted to a flinch to mask her surprise at the sudden noise. In a flash, Pan was undressed and plopped himself mercilessly into the lake. The water splashed on Andrew and Lilith, soaking them and making them uncomfortable.

They didn't have time to recover, however, when the Lost Ones were running with nothing but their undergarments on. Lilith turned around to not witness the onslaught of running teenagers and young boys.

Andrew was practically hugging his sister, fearing for what would happen. Out of nowhere, Pan popped up in-between himself and his sister, drawing them apart. The teen boy placed his arms on their shoulders, as if they were good family members. As soon as his cold touch touched them both, they shuddered and wanted to back away. Lilith in particular because she was self-conscious of the bruises of her mid-section. When Peter's lower body touched hers, her eyes widened in alarm and she flinched from him.

If Pan noticed this action, then he decided to feign ignorance.

"What say you to a game?" Pan asked, making Lilith shake her head uncontrollably.

"We are done, and we wish to go out," Lilith urged the teen to leave her and her brother out of his craziness. Pan looked at her and then shrugged, bringing his arms off of them and motioned for them to the land.

Lilith's face turned red, and Andrew narrowed his eyes at the teen boy for making his sister feel this way, "I…We…" She trailed out, not knowing how to phrase it.

Andrew decided to stand up for his sister, "You took our clothing!" He accused, making Pan raise his eyebrows and open his mouth. It was as if the teen just solved a solution something big, and then he closed his mouth, a dark smirk on his face on reaching a conclusion.

"If _that's_ the problem," Pan stated, bringing his hand out from under the water and snapped them together. It a flash there was a pile of assorted clothing on the beach, "Problem solved!" He exclaimed, his smirk ever present on his face. Lilith looked behind her and found that the clothing seemed to be similar to what Pan would wear.

"Those aren't ours," Lilith stated, a small amount of anger coming over her. The shyness at seeing an almost naked boy in front of her was slowly disappearing.

Pan drifted his body over to her, letting the water that his body was submerged in to do most of the work. "What? You don't like my clothing preference?" He challenged, his body accidentally hitting the teen girl's mid-section once again. She jumped and held herself tighter with her arms. Closing her eyes, she wished that she could be anywhere else except next to him.

Pan raised curious eyebrows at this, but didn't voice anything. "Don't tell me you still have a faint hope of getting home?" He asked, finding the hopeful thinking hilarious. He shook his head and decided to swim around Andrew. "What have I told you _time_ and _time_ again?" He asked, as if getting tired of saying it over and over. Andrew narrowed his eyes at the teen, knowing that he was enjoying himself too much, "You can't leave unless _I_ say so."

Lilith turned to him and opened her closed eyes, the fire in them was evident. "Why not!" She yelled, getting frustrated at getting herself in this predicament.

If only she hadn't yelled out to that shadow that one night.

She calmed herself, she was here for her brother, and she wouldn't let her anger get the best of her. Andrew saw when she was set off, and he was scared of her. Her little brother took a step closer to her and placed a hand on her arm. The boy hoped that it would calm her down so that she wouldn't land into a fist fight with Pan.

Not like the first boy she had beaten up when she first arrived on Neverland.

"Because I don't want you to," Pan stated as he let out a chuckle before swimming over to his rowdy Lost Ones, who were splashing each other like mad men, "This is your new home, best get _used_ to it," he stated, looking at Lilith in particular. He then let out a smirk before he turned the other way. She was tempted to go after him and try to drown him, but Andrew tugged on her arm, letting her know that he was there along with her.

That even though he couldn't fight, he would still be there to support her.

"Come on!" Lilith ordered, standing up and quickly running out form the lake before anyone could see her. Andrew didn't argue, he didn't see the need to. They snagged their new clothes and was about to run before Felix stood before them. His stone face looked into Lilith's flustered face before he took a step closer to her. "W-What are you doing?"

"You smell like Pan…" He trailed out, walking away after in taking her scent.

Lilith, who was a little taken back by that, held the clothes closer to her chest. "What does that mean?" She asked, not knowing the answer.

She glanced at Andrew, who was walking ahead of her, not scared of the environment or the situation they were in. She was having a much harder time than her brother - she couldn't adjust. The lifestyle that she always knew was taken away, and was replaced with chaos.

She narrowed her eyes, walking away as she ignored the whistling of the boys from behind her. Her mid-section started to burn for the first time in years, and she gasped as she looked down. Scampering off, she managed to place her legs into the brown leggings and quickly grabbed the tunic. It was dark green, and loose fitting, but somehow once she had it on her body, her body stopped burning.

Andrew appeared in front of her, dressed much like how the boys were, "Lil?" He asked, making her frown at him, "Are you okay?" He asked cautiously. She wouldn't speak, and instead she took a step back. Her damp hair stuck on the back of her tunic, already getting tangled. "Sis?" He whispered, knowing that she was getting worked up.

"I hate it here!" Lilith yelled, falling to her knees, "I want to go _home_!" She yelled again, not caring if Pan or the Lost Ones over heard. "I miss father," she whispered, already regretting her decision to have the shadow take her.

She had to be the older sister and take care of her brother. Yet, how could she take care of him when she was still a child herself? It wasn't fair, and she wanted nothing else but to go home and drink a hot cup of tea with her father.

"I miss him, too," Andrew muttered, hugging his sister.

Felix was watching them, having never entered the lake himself. He glanced over to Peter, who was having a splashing flight with some of the younger boys. No doubt, Pan was winning the small harmless battle.

He looked back at the siblings and grinned to himself. "The strong one is the boy…" He trailed out, disappearing into the forest, already a way to make the girl submit to Peter. She was only mentally stable because her brother served as her anchor. He couldn't stop the smirk appearing on his face as the darkness took him.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Tiger wasn't shocked to find herself back in the tent of the Devil. She glanced around the area, noticing that there were no entrances or exits. There was just a plain bed. Narrowing her eyes, she immediately scampered off the bed she was laying on. That bed brought her horrible memories she would rather have been better off forgetting. Already she felt the need to wash herself.

Anything that resembled Pan she wanted to burn.

If it happened to be her skin, then so be it.

She wasted no time taking out a knife from her braid. She had to undue the braid to take it out, but quickly secured her hair back. She twirled the knife around her hand before arming herself with it. It was hiding in her hair, and seeing that Pan, or whoever, had taken her weapons, she only had this one to guard herself with. Walking over to the tent, she decided that she would get out of here before Pan showed up. He always had the most impeccable timing, and if she didn't move fast she would no doubt have a confrontation with him.

A confrontation after twenty years was bound to make him still angry.

Angry at the escape of Baelfire.

Still, she didn't mind; that boy deserved to get off the island and back to his family.

In her eyes – she was her only brother that was still living. Andrew had died – but now he was alive once again. She let out a long exhale at that thought; he was alive and he didn't come find her.

Plunging the knife into the tent mercilessly, she ripped a jagged hole in it. Using a little more force that necessary, the rip in the tent was a clean cut. She easily stepped through, preparing to fight an onslaught of Lost Boys…she was confused when she found a boy sitting on a log by himself.

More confused when she realized that he was wearing clothes far different from the Lost Boys themselves. It would have reminded her of London, but it didn't quite have that elegant style to it. She was going to stealthily sneak away, but found that the boy and decided to turn and look at her with wide eyes. The teen had probably scared him, and her trying to avoid confrontation must have made her suspicious.

"Those clothes…" He stated, his voice a little scratchy. Tiger noted that he must not have spoken in a while. "You must be Tiger Lily!" He exclaimed, overjoyed at meeting someone other than Pan and his group of savages.

"How do you know me?" She asked scathingly at him, now suspicious of him. Immediately she walked over to the boy. "Are you with Pan?" She demanded, noticing the panic spreading through the boy. Tiger didn't stop her pursuit, twirling the knife in her hand, not afraid to kill to escape the Devil. After all, murder wasn't something new to her.

"Answer!" She ordered, her knife almost to his throat.

He put up his hands, not sure of what to do for the girl to see that he was harmless and unarmed. She slowly put down her knife and stood there. "I-I'm Henry!" He introduced frighteningly. She nodded, looking around the area. She knew she had wasted too much time here for her liking.

If she wasn't careful with how much time she was spending, then Pan would come back. And when he did, she wouldn't be able to escape again. She had to leave now when she still had the upper hand. Glancing at the boy for only a few seconds, she recognized the style of clothing was comparable to the adults she had seen earlier.

So he was _their_ Henry.

"Let's get going," She stated, grabbing him and running off in what Henry thought as a random direction. They were running so fast, that Henry almost tripped over tree roots. Still, the girl wouldn't let him fall, and he instantly began to trust the girl that held his life in her hands.

"Your family is here," she informed, her head perking up at something that Henry hadn't heard. She immediately stopped running, and quickly pushed the boy into a small bush, concealed from anything that might be after him. "Stay," she mouthed, looking forward, not glancing toward the boy at all.

"I didn't _think_ that would hold you," Felix stated, the scar on his face made Tiger smirk at him. "Still, I didn't think to check your hair of all places for a weapon." Tiger decided to stay silent, not giving anything away, "Sneaky, sneaky…" He complimented, brandishing his axe in front of him. He twirled it in his hand a few times to try and appear intimidating.

Henry couldn't help but peek out from his hiding spot, and when his eyes landed on the weapon, he held in a gasp. "Make things easier on the both of us, Lil," he answered in a gentle tone, "Just head back to camp."

Tiger twirled the knife in her hand before taking to a fighting pose, "I will _never_ be Pan's…" She hissed out, charging at the teen in front of her. Felix let out a grunt before he blocked the knife with the blade of his axe before twirling the axe behind him to gain momentum with his weapon. He hurdled the handle of the axe in Tiger's mid-section, making her grunt in pain and slid back a few feet. Her moccasin shoes dragged against the dirt ground, causing a small dirt cloud to gather around them.

Felix walked over to the girl, who was now holding her mid-section with her one free hand. "You always _did_ have an exploitable weak point," he chided, making the girl in front of him growl. Before the teen got too close, she swiped at him, making him quickly jump back. He held his axe in front of him, ready to go another round, "You think you can beat the one who trained you?"

"I know I can," Tiger stated, slowly looking up at Felix with a twisted smile on her face. She went to take another step, but was stopped when a sudden pain erupted through her mid-section, causing her to almost stumble. "You just resort to cheap tricks," she mumbled, clenching the knife in her hand tightly. Out of all the things that she had expected Felix to do, this was _not_ one of them. He was never the one to play dirty, and she could see just how desperately Pan wanted her within his reach.

"Pan was the one who told me to take you down quickly," Felix informed, trying to walk over to the girl, but stopped when she looked up painfully at him. "Otherwise I would truly test your skills," he added as an afterthought, "You're the only one who can provide me with a challenge."

Tiger took another step but fell on her knees, her grip on her knife loosened, and it spun out of her hands and towards Henry. The boy who was hiding looked over at his new friend with his hope fading. He was mentally chanting for her to get up.

For her to get up and fight.

He believed she could win.

Her palms were on the ground, and she felt her mid-section burn once again as a pain erupted through her body. It was almost as if she were pulsating, and she knew that Pan was the one who was causing her pain. That meant that he would soon arrive on the scene. The bruises reacted to him and the Neverland air itself. But she knew that it was him.

He always enjoyed causing her pain, why should this be any different?

"You must _enjoy_ seeing me _weak_ ," Tiger admitted, struggling to ignore the pain.

Felix shook his head as he squatted down next to the girl, "It gives me no joy, I assure you, Lil," he stated, watching as the girl let out a dark chuckle of disbelief. "This scar on my face means nothing," he added, "I still consider you family."

"That is enough, Felix," Pan stated, his voice seemed to echo off the trees. Felix took this as his cue to stand up and look at his leader. "The moment you sensed she was out of her prison I was on my way here," he said, landing on the ground. "Do you enjoy what you feel, love?" Pan asked sarcastically as he cupped the girl's chin in his hand and forced the teen to look up at him. Her eyes were full of agony as they chose to harden in anger at the sight of him.

"That's all me," he informed, "The day my shadow reached inside your small body, it left a piece of the darkness inside of you."

"Don't you _ever_ shut up?" Tiger snarled, making Peter smirk over at the girl. She hated how he would gloat - and he always gloated when he had something that he wanted.

"Perhaps I _do_ like to hear myself talk," he retorted, letting go of the girl who stared up at him with defiant eyes. Eyes that were trapped in pain, but not the eyes of the lost. "I know you helped Henry escape," he said, making the girl curl her hands in the dirt angrily.

How had he known that _she_ had helped the boy out of the camp?

Maybe it was because Pan knew her even after all these years; that she couldn't keep anything from him – no matter how hard she tried.

"He means nothing to you," he hissed out, squatting down to the girl. "Why help him?"

She chuckled emotionlessly, "To get him away from you," she spat out. Tiger knew that he hated when she spoke her mind – especially when she spoke acrid things about him. Another surge of pain erupted through her, and she couldn't help it as she clenched her teeth. "Death would be a better outcome," she struggled to say without letting the teen in front of her know that she was suffering.

She wouldn't show him any weakness. Because when she did that, he would have won. And she would have lost. The common saying that 'Peter Pan never fails' – she wanted to prove that wrong. That she could win against him. After all the things that he had done, or will still do, she wanted to make him pay for his actions.

Peter stood up, looking down at the girl intently, "You would know, wouldn't you, my dear Tiger Lily?" He asked, making the girl freeze at what she said. "You even tried the _coward's_ way out than to deal with _me_."

The girl took in his words and fully understood what he meant. She had indeed tried to kill herself to escape his clutches. It hadn't worked, but she knew that what he said was meant to hurt her. To make her seem weak.

And in a small moment of her own selfishness, she let the words affect her. The resistance and barrier that she had built with Peter Pan in mind was instantly shattered. She couldn't stop the next two words that came out of her mouth out of spite and anger.

"Fuck you," Tiger responded, and as soon as the words left her lips, another pang of pain hit her like a ton of bricks. She let out a shriek of pain, not being able to hold it in like the others. It seemed to be getting worse, and Pan seemed to enjoy seeing her seething in pain. With each attack he sent her way, the intensity of the pain was getting worse.

"You can't keep the both of us," she hissed out, clenching the dirt in her hands harder. It took all of her willpower to not collapse on the ground from the amount of agony that she was currently in. She tried to take in short breaths to not alert the teenager in front of her that she was on her last knees – both literally and figuratively.

"And why is that?" Pan asked slowly, daring her to reveal what she was planning on doing. He took small, careful steps, a mocking grin on his face. He was enjoying her company, where she was already despising his. It brought him great pleasure that he was winning this battle. He bent down and drew his head closer to hers, getting close to her ear.

She looked up at him, "I won't let you," she grumbled out, determination in her eyes. Pan narrowed his eyes at that, he hated that emotion.

That confidence made him sick.

On any other person it would have been fine. Hell, he might have even liked it. But on her; on his dear Tiger Lily, it was like seeing his beloved being tainted. He couldn't have her being portrayed as strong and unyielding – no.

No, she needed to be weak and be with him. She needed to love him once again. To know that Peter Pan never fails in taking what he wants. Only then will she have truly learned her place.

"You won't have a _choice_!" Pan yelled out, willing the shadow remnants in her body to contract, making her yell out and fall to the ground. She placed her arms over her mid-section as she rolled onto her back. Another surge of pain, after another.

Tiger realized what Pan was doing - he was trying to make her beg.

To make her plead for him to stop.

She let out another yell after another, closing her eyes to not focus on the pain she was feeling. Another surge, and another yell escaped from her. Unbeknownst to her, Henry would feel awful and sick, knowing that she was suffering because she was protecting him.

Having enough, he stood up.

"Stop!" Henry yelled, revealing himself from the bushes as he stood up. Pan was startled at the boy's sudden entrance that he eased up on causing Tiger torment. His eyes immediately drifted to the boy, "I'll go with you, just stop!" Henry pleaded, making a smirk appear on Pan's face slowly.

"Tiger Lily, are you okay?" Henry asked in a hushed tone as he ran down to the teen who was starting to breathe heavily. She couldn't handle the amount of pain that she was currently in. Tears threatened to fall down her face, but she wouldn't let them. Opening up her eyes, she looked over at Henry and found the concern on his face towards her.

Her, a stranger that he had just met.

It made her confused, and somewhat uncomfortable at the powerful emotion that was on the boy's face. He wasn't lying, she could tell that much, and what he was feeling towards her was true. This boy seemed more mature than any of them on this island.

Because he had the ability to care for others.

Pan gazed down at the girl and narrowed his eyes in thought. He might have been a little hard on the girl, but considering she had caused him to lose twenty years, he quickly got over the small amount of guilt that was welling up.

"She's fine, Henry!" Pan chided in a happy tone, "We were just playing a game!" He informed, looking over at Felix, "It's what we do; we play games," he added, making Henry narrow his eyes at Pan.

Pan darted his eyes from Felix to Tiger, and the right hand man of Pan got the memo quickly. Felix marched over to the girl, now with a direct order from Pan to return her back to camp. Although the command was silent, it was very stern and precise.

Tiger let out a hiss as Felix went to pick her up gently, "Run," Tiger mouthed over at the boy, but Pan chuckled over at her – as if her attempts to persuade the boy to run were useless.

"Run," she said this time, and Felix didn't care to prop her head up as she viewed Pan talking to Henry upside down. "Run!" She yelled, trying to struggle out of Felix's grip. Henry didn't know if she was telling _him_ to run, or _herself_.

"Let go of me! Let go!" She yelled, having enough with Pan's ploys to break her. She knew that if she stayed, she would only be forced to give in eventually. It always happened, no matter how many times she would run and gain free will, he would just as easily get her back and break her once again.

Felix struggled to hold onto her as they disappeared into the trees. Henry and Pan had heard the girl's unbecoming curses that she yelled out. It echoed off the trees, and Henry was starting to doubt that Pan was even telling the truth.

After all, it certainly didn't look like a game that he had seen before.

"Don't mind her, Henry!" Pan started to say as he swung his arm around the boy's shoulders. Henry tensed up, but made no move to brush him off. "This is actually a constant occurrence of ours, nothing to worry about, I assure you," he added, making the boy narrow his eyes in suspicion at the teen.

"We're going to have a celebration later, make sure you're up for it," Pan informed, though Henry knew that he ordered him. Peter walked away, a devious smile on his face. He knew everything was slowly falling into place. He had his backup plan, and his queen.

This time, he wouldn't let her get away from him.

 **To be continued…**


	4. She's a Fractal

**A/N: Update! Missed a few weeks, but honestly, I just sort of forgot to update this story. That's my fault, sorry!**

 **Thank you:** ** _Gigi103, ForeverReading15, Fantasy-Mania31, and DamonSalvatorelover for following!_**

 **Thank you:** ** _Gigi103_** **for reviewing! I'm glad you like the story so far!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything!**

* * *

Your eyes are the size of the moon  
You could 'cause you can so you do  
We're feeling so good  
Just the way that we do  
When it's nine in the afternoon

~Panic at the Disco "Nine in the afternoon"

* * *

Ch. 4: She's a Fractal

 **(Past)**

Having just finished putting on her boots that Pan had generously left for her, she still had her messy tangled hair to deal with. Lilith wished that she had a ribbon or something of the like to hold it back. The girl improvised and took one longer strand of hair and wrapped it around the rest of it before securing it with a knot. Her hair was together and was draping off her shoulder.

All in all, it was better than it being all over the place, she reasoned.

"Lil, what are we going to do now?" Andrew asked, eyeing his sister curiously. She looked down at her brother and let out a long sigh in response. She didn't know what to do. As far as she could tell, they were stuck in Neverland. She still wasn't too sure where this place was, but she had a plan. She always had an established plan in the back of her mind to make a boat.

"Let's make a boat," Lilith voiced her thoughts out loud with a small smile. Andrew's eyes widened at that before he nodded his head slowly, wanting to hear her out. "We can sail back to London and get home," she stated, beginning to walk where she suspected was a beach. The farther she is from Pan, the better.

She was tired of the teenager and knew that any time that he wasn't bothering the two of them, they had a small amount of peace.

"Just need some trees," she muttered under her breath, looking around the small area of bushes instead of any trees.

Andrew followed his sister, noticing that they were passing the lake as they did so. He knew that the area sounded too quiet for rowdy boys with no rules to hold them down. He peered through the bushes to see what was happening. Just as he thought, the lake was empty, and he could only suspect that meant bad news.

With the Lost Ones and Pan back on land and no longer distracted, that meant that trying to escape was going to be harder. Not to mention, if his theory was correct, and Pan knows exactly where the two of them are, then it would be impossible to keep their escape attempt a secret.

"Uh…Lil…" He said, turning to face his sister.

Lilith was undeterred from her plan, her eyes glancing towards the lake, "They're gone," she stated, looking down at her brother. "We need something sharp to cut down the trees," she breathed out, knowing that her plan was already falling apart before it even began. If she didn't have enough of the supplies, then it would fail without a doubt. "I should have grabbed a… A _knife_ or _something_!" She lectured herself, knowing that going into a jungle without a weapon was a dangerous idea.

Especially in Neverland.

Just as her thoughts were actualized, an axe flew past her face, almost scratching the tip of her nose as it got lodged into a tree. She was frozen where she stood, and could only stare ahead – in shock that she had almost died yet again on this dreaded island.

"Pan orders you to return to camp," Felix said in his monotone voice. Lilith glanced at him, her body trembling at the near death experience. She seemed to have a lot of those in her time in Neverland. She swallowed nervously as she glanced at the axe and then at Felix. The boy had short hair and a gaze that never seemed to waver. The girl knew that the axe was something that she needed to start cutting down trees and start making her way off of this island.

"Come," he barked his order at the two siblings before turning around and heading into the forest. He had a reason that they would follow him. The girl knew that he was letting his guard down and glanced over at the axe.

Lilith, as stealthily as she could, crept over to the tree hoping to pull out the axe. She placed her soft, gentle hands on the handle of the weapon and tried to get it free. It was lodged in the tree well, and it wouldn't budge no matter how hard she tried to pry it out.

Andrew glanced at Felix out of the corner of his eyes, finding the Lost One still not turning around. He was oblivious to his sister's actions, and he silently chanted for her to get it out of the tree before he turned around. The girl didn't have any upper arm shoulder strength since she didn't do much lifting because she was a girl.

Placing her foot on the tree in an attempt to add more force to her pulling it out, she tried to control her breathing. Holding her breath, she pulled harshly on the tree, making it splinter down the middle. Once it started to splinter it caused a loud 'crack' to be heard around the area. At this, Felix turned around with narrowed eyes, trying to pin point what was making so much noise.

The girl quickly lifted the axe from the tree, now that it had nothing lodged in it forcefully anymore. She held it in the air for a few seconds before it caused a strain on her arms. They started to shake, and she quickly realized that she couldn't hold it for long and she dropped it harshly on the ground.

Andrew took a step back, careful as to not let the axe fall on his feet. Felix let out a snort at the girl's antics, "Stubborn," he chided, making Lilith turn to him with wide eyes. "Pan _did_ say that you two would be a problem," he stated.

"Pan can shove it," Andrew hissed out, stepping forward so that his sister was blocked from Felix's view. Yet, the male teenager could still see the girl trying to lift up the axe. Felix couldn't help but think how persistent the girl was, and what an asset she would prove to be given the right training, of course.

Pan was right to want her in the family.

Before attempting to pick up the axe again, Lilith rubbed her hands together before gripping the handle. "We aren't heading back to camp," Andrew said, taking another step towards the teen who was older than him by many years; not to mention stronger and meaner in every single way. The boy knew that he was easily outmatched, but if it could buy his sister some time, then he would fight the teen.

"Got it!" Lilith yelled, lifting up the axe and arming herself with it. She let out a long breath she didn't know she was holding before looking Felix straight in the eyes. The teen stared back at her, wondering what she was going to do with that axe that she held. She couldn't possibly be thinking of throwing it, it's far too heavy for her and would end up badly. She could swing it at him, but not before he could swipe it away from her.

The girl took three hobbled steps, raising it above her head. Felix's eyes widened, knowing that the girl wasn't properly acquainted with that weapon. Accidents happen, and that accident was going to either be herself, or her brother.

"Put the axe down before you hurt yourself," he commanded, watching the anger run off of the girl in waves. " _Now_ ," he added darkly, not enjoying the girl's disrespect for her own safety. He glanced at her brother, silently telling him to not support the girl's actions.

Andrew, however, took a few steps back and let his sister have full range of taking care of the Lost One herself - he didn't want to get in her way.

"You asked for it!" She yelled, her face turning red as she started to charge at Felix. Already he could see by her aggression that she had experience at fighting, but he could also see that she was a complete idiot at handling a weapon.

In less than a second, he was ready to disarm the girl. He didn't have to do much when Pan floated above the girl and took the axe by the blade with his hand.

Having the weight being lifted off of her, Lilith looked up and found that the axe was now in Pan's possession. Either the teen was oblivious to the fact that blood was running down his hand, or he didn't even feel the pain.

"How fun," he commented in amusement. "Are you trying to kill Felix?" Pan questioned, staring the girl in the eyes. In a second, a green smoke covered the axe and it appeared on the ground a few feet away. Lilith shrunk back at his unrelenting stare, wondering if she was going to be punished because she was, in fact, trying to kill the teen.

He hadn't even looked away to see where he had magically teleported the axe to. "Because, if you were…" He trailed, landing his two feet on the ground next to her. He gripped her shoulders and forced them back harshly, "You stand like this when carrying an axe," he informed, arching her back, not caring about how red she was getting in the face or the discomfort she was feeling.

Not to mention how she flinched from his touch.

"Lift from your body; up," he whispered into her ear, becoming too close for her liking. She could practically feel his cold breath against her warm ear.

"Get away from me!" Lilith screeched, taking a couple of steps backwards. Pan stood there with his eyebrows raised in amusement. This was the first time that a girl hadn't liked his touch. He wondered if this girl was going to be more fun that the others were in the past. The girl, who hated being touched by anyone except her family, began to rub her hands up and down her arms.

It was as if his hands contained the vilest disease on them.

"I don't need someone like you to instruct me on how to use a…a…" She trailed, trying to find words through her flustered mind, "An axe," she finished, shivering when she thought of where the teen had touched her. It was as if she had been violated by a cold darkness, and she hated how his hands were always ice cold.

"Pan," Felix stated, bringing everyone's focus on Pan's right hand man, "They won't go back to camp," he answered bluntly, his face as emotionless as possible. Pan raised an eyebrow at the teen before looking back at the siblings. "Should I-?"

Pan placed a hand up towards Felix, but held a devious smirk in front of the siblings, "You won't go back to camp?" He asked, feigning confusion as if it was the first time he had heard it. Andrew narrowed his eyes at this, if Pan could act on impulse so expertly, then he couldn't be trusted. Lilith watched as Pan walked up to the girl with a hungry look deep within his eyes.

"Have I not been a favorable host?" He asked, making Lilith take a few more steps back. He ate her fear like it was nothing more than a snack. "Perhaps I should be _crueler_?" He suggested darkly, his tone lowering. Lilith took another step back, but found that her back had reached a tree, making her trapped in front of Pan.

"You have _no_ _idea_ how _cruel_ I can be," he whispered, making Lilith's breathing become uneven. Her hair on the back of her neck stood up from fear. She didn't know what he meant by that. Instead of a warning, she saw it as more of a promise.

It started to scare her.

Andrew ran in front of his sister with his arms outstretched. He served as a barricade that separated both teens. Pan took a step back, allowing the momentary distance, "It was _my_ idea!" Andrew yelled, narrowing his eyes at the leader fearlessly. Pan cocked his head to the side, taking in the child's words, " _I_ didn't want to go back to camp," he hissed out. Pan looked at the boy with a small smile on his face. Andrew knew that he was in trouble because of how calm the teenager was being towards him.

"In _that_ case," Pan said in a calculative way. It was as if he had just figured out the biggest puzzle that he had come across. "Tiger Lily will have to return to camp _without_ you," he stated, his smirk growing at the reaction of the siblings.

Their eyes became wide as they took in the information slowly. Andrew blinked his eyes a few times, and Lilith resisted the urge to run away. She fought the temptation of grabbing her brother right then and there and running as far away from Pan and Felix as she possibly could.

Then, the words that the teen had spoken had finally registered within her mind.

"No!" Lilith yelled, grabbing her little brother as she bent down to embrace him, "I'm not going back there without him!" She protested, making Pan chuckle at her childish behavior. Since she had arrived on his island, he was in control of everything – even her.

"You can't make me! You _can't_!" She yelled, placing her arms tightly around her younger brother. Pan watched with amusement, but decided to not address the girl in front of him. She noticed his eyes looking down at her and knew that he was going to do something horrible to her.

She knew that much just from his eyes.

And she didn't like it.

Felix decided that it was his cue to grab the girl while she was unfocused due to her childish fit she was having. He strode over to her with a glare on his face, the girl not even noticing his form standing over hers. He ripped her from her brother, his strength dominating over hers. He gripped tightly on her upper arm, hauling her to her feet. She tried to grab onto her brother as the teen was pulling them away, only for her to grab nothing but air. The girl started to scream and try to claw her way out of Felix's grip. He was adamant about holding onto her, and she shook her head, tears flowing down her cheeks.

How many more times would they separate her from her brother?

How much longer would she be forced away from her family?

"We can't be separated! Stop! Return me to him!" Her cries fell on deaf ears as everyone had chosen to ignore her.

"Use that axe, Dent," Pan instructed to the boy who stared at him, not afraid of anything he threw at him. That was fine with Pan, he always liked a good challenge when it presented itself, and this boy was no different.

"Because, it's already night," he added, pointing his index finger up at the sky. Andrew followed his gaze and found that it was no longer day light, even though the last time he looked up there was a sun in the middle of the blue sky. Now, the stars were perfectly shining. The boy knew that Pan controlled the hours of the day and night and knew that he was doing this on purpose. Either to scare him, or challenge him.

"The beasts come out when it's night," he warned, winking at the boy before turning around. Andrew knew it was to scare him at that point. "Let's go!" He instructed Felix who was carrying Lilith. Pan didn't bother to even try and hide his smirk from anyone, already knowing what he had caused and was enjoying every second of it.

"No! _No_! _Andrew_!" Lilith yelled frantically as she was put over Felix's shoulder. She saw her brother fade from her eyesight and she reached out a hand for her brother to somehow take. Andrew looked up at his sister and blinked once before letting out a confident smile to show her not to worry.

"Unhand me!" She screeched, fidgeting in the teen's grasp. She placed her hands on the teen's shoulder to try and get away, only for Felix's grip to suddenly become tighter which caused her to be trapped against his shoulder even more.

They entered the forest, and soon there was nothing but trees blocking her view of her brother.

She had failed in protecting him yet again.

And now, they were separated.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Waking up to the sight of the Lost Boys dancing was not a good sign. Tiger realized that she passed out in Felix's arms, and she looked around the area. Sure enough, there was one extra Lost Boy placed at all possible exits out of the area. She narrowed her eyes in thought before turning her focus to the boy who was on the other side of the camp site. He was staring into the campfire in thought, and she knew that he wasn't a Lost Boy.

It took her a few minutes to remember the name of the child. The one dressed in strange clothing that she hadn't been familiar with.

Henry.

That was the name of the boy.

The one that she tried to get out of here and failed.

The one that those group of misfits from earlier were looking for.

She wasn't surprised that she hadn't gotten the two of them away, not when Pan had an enormous ego and pride to upkeep. He never lost, even at something as simple and innocent as a thumb war. Losing two people whom he considered very valuable meant that he was extremely keen on keeping them.

"Shit," she muttered, trying to stand up but found that her hand had been chained to the log. She pulled on the strong steel chain only to find that it was secure and not loose at all. She had a sinking feeling of whom she knew had put her there.

Her suspicions were confirmed when a teen walked in front of her.

"Comfortable?" Felix asked, sitting down next to her. Tiger quickly scanned the teen for anything she could use to get out of her predicament. She found a mace attached to the teen's hip, and she tried to quickly snatch it.

However, the teen had seen her plan come from a mile away. He sat down out of arms reach of the Indian girl. She let out a hiss in failure before pulling on the chain that bound her to the ground in frustration. "Pan is letting you off easy, you know," Felix muttered, eyeing Tiger out of the corner of his eyes.

"Isn't he around to talk to me himself?" She asked sarcastically in a level tone, once again pulling on the chain. The anger that started in her chest threatened to consume her, but the girl knew she needed to keep a level head. Yanking again on the steel chain, she tried to not glare at her predicament. She knew that with persistence, it would eventually weaken, letting her become free.

Then she could reunite with her brother after six decades of not even knowing he was alive. She pictured him in her mind. He had changed, he had even aged. He had grown without her, and she wasn't even there to see it. Not with Pan keeping her prisoner on the island. She tugged at the chain in ager before she stopped, placing her hands on the log that was beneath her.

"Figured _he'd_ want to rub it in my face about how he captured me," she muttered, trying to find any other possible escape route. The need to escape was growing stronger with each passing second.

Felix rolled his eyes at her attitude, knowing that given a few years that would disappear as quickly as she had gained it. They had time for her to wait, even if it took her a decade or a century, she would always come back to Pan. Felix knew that, he just didn't know why she was acting as if she had something to fight for.

"He's preoccupied," Felix responded with a shrug, "He has the heart of the truest believer over there; the key to his eternal life."

Tiger pulled at the chain again, still determined to get out of Pan's camp, "That's his plan?" She asked, trying to keep out the fear that wanted to get in her voice. The fear of letting another succumb to the fate that had been planned out for her since she was a small child. The fact that once Peter Pan wanted something – he got it.

"It's not going to work. He's going to _fail_ ," she muttered, believing her words. Because that's all she could do at the moment. She just had to believe that he would fall. If Henry would supply Pan with eternal life, then there really would be no escape for her. Pan had set a plan to break her, and he wouldn't stop until he accomplished his goal.

The girl could not be bound to Pan for all eternity; she would try and kill herself so many more times before it came down to that.

"Peter Pan _never_ fails," Felix hissed out, standing up and looking at the girl who was an example of Pan's work. "He has everyone right where he wants them," he said, now standing over the teen girl so that she would be forced to look up at him.

"You never thought you could get away from him – _from_ _us_ – did you?" Felix asked, a dangerous glint in his eyes that Tiger wanted to smack him for. His own version of Pan's smug smirk was growing on his face. She wanted nothing more than to wipe it off mercilessly.

Still, she kept her emotions in check.

"Felix, listen to me very carefully," Tiger said, her face unchanging as the teen boy leaned in closer, but not close enough for her to grab his weapon. He knew her as well as she knew him. "I'm going," she stated, drawing in the teen's attention, "To burn down your _fucking_ camp," she promised before relaxing on her log, an eerily calm aura was surrounding her.

Felix stared at the girl for a few seconds, not finding the lie on her face. She wasn't lying, but a strong belief could also turn into a truth if you believed in it enough. He narrowed his eyes at his sister and shook his head to edge her on. "Go ahead and try."

Tiger smirked at his words, and Felix caught the expression out of the corner of his eyes. It was strange, it wasn't a mischievous smirk that was placed on her face in the past. This one was one that was a complete copy of Pan himself. He felt frozen at the sight of it, knowing that only danger would follow that facial expression.

"Is that a challenge?" She asked him rhetorically, "I happen to like challenges," she added, looking him right in the eyes when the teen looked in her general direction, "I like to _break_ them down and see them _burn_ ," she said.

Felix didn't know what it was, whether it was her using Pan's words, or her changing his slogan to better fit her chaotic and cold personality. It made him uncomfortable, and for the first time, he was disturbed by Tiger Lily. He knew that Pan had truly molded her into a fierce warrior who held no regret of the murders she caused.

"What's the matter, Felix?" She asked, in a monotone voice, "Did I strike a nerve?" She asked rhetorically, a haughty smirk appearing on her face. It was then that the chaos of her instability had started to kick in. Being trapped on Neverland for a century and being under Pan's rule for most of it did something irreversible to a person's mind.

"Enough, Tiger Lily," Pan called out in amusement, placing his hand on the back of Felix. He pushed him gently, telling the teen to leave them alone. Felix glanced down at Tiger Lily, whose smirk had immediately vanished as soon as Pan appeared in front of her. One couldn't even tell that she was smirking in the first place. Felix then walked away, leaving the two of them alone. He didn't want to see fire and ice go at it once again.

"You look well," he mused, walking over to the girl to examine her.

"You look like shit," Tiger countered, as if she were talking to an annoying child, "Your old age finally catching up with you?" she sarcastically asked, wanting nothing more than for him to leave her alone. Pan sat down next to her, placing his hand on hers. She immediately froze at the coldness invading her skin, and she went to pull her hand away, only for the teen to clench it tightly underneath his. The girl knew that she couldn't escape his hold if he didn't want her to. In terms of strength, he was far superior to her.

She settled on clenching her teeth, the anger and resentment was radiating off of her in large waves.

The teen leaned in closer to the girl, who narrowed her eyes at him. The hate that was directed towards him made him amused - it made him feel alive and interested in his otherwise dark world. He leaned over her, making her fall over onto the log – her back hitting against the makeshift bench harshly.

"Sarcasm," he stated in a gentle tone. Tiger knew it was too calm and collected, and that only meant bad news for her. "Is that the _best_ you have?" He challenged, making the girl growl out at him. She knew what he was doing, and she wasn't a mere toy for him to play with. She swung her feet at him, but before she knew what was happening, he used his magic to put himself on top of her. Her legs were underneath him, and he bent her free arm, so that it was against the log. His hand was still in hers and she couldn't use it to get him away from her.

With his free hand, he placed it against her cheek, his thumb trailing down her warm intoxicating skin. He took in her warmth, and she took in his cold. In a few seconds, she felt her cold personality start to break down. Her eyes narrowed in a last ditch effort to keep playing strong.

She had to stay strong.

She wouldn't take this again; she vowed she would never let him use her like this. With her chained hand, she went to smack him off of her with a full force punch. It reached up a few inches from Pan. She let out a shocked breath and looked up at the teen.

Had he planned that?

The smirk on his face was her answer. Of course Pan knew what would happen. Tiger tried keeping the fear off of her face, and tried to keep her body from trembling. She failed in both departments, and Pan's smirk grew at seeing that he had won over her.

It was even easier than the last time.

"Get off me," she whispered, afraid her voice would crack if she rose in an octave above that. And she knew it would, she knew how terrified she was of Peter Pan deep down in her mind.

"You're _my_ Queen, Lil," Pan stated, placing his other free hand in the girl's chained one. Now, with both hands out of the picture, and her legs underneath him, she couldn't stop him from doing what he wanted; no matter how much she tried to struggle.

His face was so close to hers, and she felt old emotions resurface. Her eyes started to water, and tears trailed down her cheeks as she looked away from him. Her strong shell that she had built up had instantly shattered at the physical contact.

She felt weak.

Weaker than she had in twenty years.

She _couldn't_ do this.

"That won't do," he whispered, bringing his lips on top of hers forcefully. He kissed her, watching in delight how her eyes grew wide in surprise, shock, and more importantly disgust. He leaned into the kiss, whereas she tried to pull away.

Yet, with her head against the log, and Pan forcing her to kiss him, she couldn't break away.

Pan could feel her legs start to thrash underneath him, as well as her hands trying to push him off of her. It had been decades since he had felt this young - this powerful. It was Tiger Lily and the joy her life brought to him.

She could stop the sand from falling, she was there to keep him supplied with magic.

Yet, she hated him.

She abhorred him with every fiber of her being. All because he killed her first love and her brother, and sixty years later she still wasn't over those small details. He pulled away from her, watching as the tears were uncontrollable as they ran sideways from her eyes.

The despair.

The fear.

Her eyes were filled with both, and he enjoyed seeing them on her face. Wendy had looked at him the same way when he had his way with her. Except, there was more fear on Wendy's face than despair.

True, Wendy _had_ and always _will_ be afraid of him.

But unlike Wendy…

The Indian girl quickly became aware that he was done enacting the deed that she so adamantly despised. She tried to find her escape somehow, even though she knew that it was useless. Instantly her legs tried to kick him off of her, and her hands that he was holding sprung to life. She tried digging her nails into his hand, but he quickly grabbed her wrists tightly instead. She let out a glare at that, the fire of hate burning brilliantly in her eyes.

It was the fire in her eyes that kept bringing Peter back – and it made him crave more. It was that fire that ignited a desire to break her down and see her on the ground in front of him.

Unlike Wendy…Tiger Lily will always fight back.

And that's what made it _fun_.

He was ready to delve deeper into the girl, unsatisfied with just a fraction of the pleasure he had obtained. He wanted her on his bed and in his tent. Although he had the body of a teenager, he still held his adult mindset. He shook the thoughts away. That will come with time, and when it does, she wouldn't fight against him. It would be just like the old times. He brought his head closer to hers, content with kissing the girl once again for the moment.

Tiger's eyes widened once again, seeing that Pan wasn't satisfied with the forceful kiss.

She hated it.

She couldn't do anything, and she knew the look of desire in his eyes. His head slowly lowered towards hers once again, his tongue licked his lips as if he had finished a delectable meal. She felt frozen, not even noticing Henry approaching them at a fast pace.

Henry wandered over to the log and pushed Pan off of her, which Tiger Lily was glad that he had done. Seeing as though she couldn't have done that herself. The teen landed on the ground, a little more than shocked that someone would dare to interrupt him while he was busy with his Queen. He looked up in a blind rage to notice Henry standing there, looking at him with confusion. The boy was too young to realize what love was, and the teen had no doubt that he would ever know.

Pan put on a small smirk, "We're just playing house."

"House?" Henry asked, his eyes traveling to Tiger Lily who was filled to the brim with hate for Pan that she hadn't registered what he had said. Whenever he pushed himself on her, she would try and think that she was anywhere except where she was. She was trapped in her own personal mantra 'think happy thoughts.' It took her a few minutes to come back to reality, the vacant look finally subsiding within her watery eyes.

"That didn't look like house to me," he reasoned, narrowing his eyes at Pan.

"Of course it was," Pan chuckled, quickly standing up with a smirk. He placed one foot up on the log and his arm rested on his knee. "Tiger Lily is the wife, and I'm the husband," he said, watching as Henry's eyes widened in understanding of the reference.

He was quoting from the Disney film about him.

He knew how to connect to people in the land without magic, and Henry realized quickly that made him automatically dangerous.

"House," Pan reaffirmed with an innocent shrug. "Now, let's get you to bed," he stated, jumping over the log and placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. Henry gave one last worried glance at Tiger before heading off to where Pan was taking him.

At that moment, the music stopped, and the Lost Boys collapsed in a heap; out of breath from dancing so long without a break. Tiger Lily had felt more than violated, but she had no more tears to weep. She looked up at the sky and then yanked on her chain once again.

It was silly, and she knew it was useless, but she had to keep fighting. Because she had family she had to get back to. Her tribe that was expecting her back, and her biological brother who she had thought to have been deceased.

She heard a small 'tink' sound and her eyes narrowed. Looking down carefully she spotted a silver key, and knew that Henry must have swiped it off of Pan when he pushed him. She got over the shock from Pan and ever so cautiously sat up on the log, taking in the key slowly with her free hand and began to work on the lock. Her body was trembling, and she still hadn't gotten over what Pan had done to her. She fidgeted with the lock, and tried to keep her hands still to place the key in.

She waited for the Lost Boys to head to bed and wasn't disappointed when a few minutes later they began to collect themselves and head to their tents. Even the guards that had been positioned to keep her prisoner had decided to head to bed as well.

She took that as her cue, unlocked it, and stood up, flexing her wrist that had the chain on it. She placed her hand on top of her wrist tenderly with a small deviant grin on her face. "Told you I'd burn down your camp," she hissed out, eyeing the camp fire and already forming her escape plan.

The native girl wasn't one to do things without a small amount of violence to her actions. She was a savage, and that meant that she never did things in a peaceful manner. That wasn't a characteristic that she was familiar with – she never showed her enemies or adversaries mercy.

Because that meant that she was weak and had grown soft.

She would never grow soft. She was a strong warrior; she had to be a strong warrior. Her family back at the Native American camp were waiting for her return.

And she would return back to them.

Tiger grabbed a bow and arrow near a tree and dripped one of the arrows in the fire before she realized that she needed to find her brother as fast as possible. Deciding to speed up the process tremendously, she dipped seven arrows and all of them caught on fire.

She readied her bow, each arrow lined up at all of the tents except the one she saw Henry enter. She would be back for Henry, but for now she had to get away from Pan before he did something more severe to her.

He had in the past, after all.

She fired them, watching as they landed on the tents with a satisfied smirk. Placing the bow over her shoulder, along with twelve more arrows to arm herself with. She ran out of the camp, focused on finding the mismatched group that she had originally met up with.

* * *

 **(Past)**

Andrew didn't know what to do. He had an axe and just his wits. He tried to lift the axe, but found that if it was too heavy for Lilith, it was definitely too heavy for him.

So in actuality, he just had his wits.

He decided to walk closer to the beach, determined to start on that boat. He for sure didn't want to stay in Neverland any longer. The jungle was quiet, not even the chirping of the birds were there. He assumed that Pan controlled everything on the island. He controlled the days, nights, and knew where people were.

His theories have all been proven true.

"Careful with those," came a man's scolding voice. Curious, Andrew followed it and found that two men were there with a map in hand. "That's the only water we have before we go back to the King," he stated, shaking his head at his brother.

"Right, looking for Dreamshade," said one of them with black haired groomed into a pony tail. "That just so happens to be in another realm so to speak."

"Killian!" Yelled the first one who had talked, "You doubt our King?" He asked in suspicion.

Killian gave a scathing look to his brother, "The King?" He asked rhetorically, "Of course not. Now, you?" He asked, a teasing grin on his face. Andrew looked at his face, and knew that he instantly liked the man. He seemed good natured, unlike the other man. "It's _Captain_ _Liam_ I don't agree with," he muttered, slashing overgrown shrubbery in the process.

Andrew didn't know what to make of the two of them. Were they a part of Pan's crew?

He decided to get answers, after all, he wasn't afraid of what Neverland had to offer him. He had already met the worst that the island had to offer, that being Pan and his Lost Ones.

"Hi!" Andrew greeted with a small smile on his face and a slight wave of his hand. "What are you guys doing here?" He asked, looking up at the two men in curiosity.

"Ah…young boy," Liam said with a friendly smile on his face, "Perhaps you would be able to help us?" He asked in a hopeful tune. Andrew raised an eyebrow at that. He hadn't heard that emotion in about a week, he found that it was hard to distinguish.

"We are looking for a plant - a cure for people. It's known as Dreamshade," he said with a small smile.

"Dreamshade?" Andrew asked, the plant not ringing any bells, "That doesn't sound like a cure…" He trailed, looking up at the two men in suspicion. Killian gave a knowing look to his brother. That's what he had said on the way to this realm.

"I don't know about any Dreamshade," he admitted with a small shrug. "I just got to this island."

Killian kneeled down at the small child, "Where are your parents, little one?" He asked, making Andrew frown at that, "Did they…?"

Andrew shook his head, "No, Pan's shadow kidnapped me and brought my sister and I here. He took us from our father, and I'm trying to find a way back," he stated, watching as the two brother's seemed taken aback from his tale. Liam in disbelief, and Killian in worry. "I'm not lying, besides, aren't you two working for him?"

"Working for a man called Pan?" Liam asked, raising an eyebrow at that, "No, we serve the King," he said.

"Well, for all I know you could be lying to me, and you think I'm lying to you," Andrew said, rolling his eyes at the adults who thought that they knew everything. That they were right about everything. But, he wasn't afraid of the unknown.

Andrew, unlike most, welcomed it. He wanted to understand everything that he could, and sometimes he was a wise ass without knowing he was one. He was walking away from the two men, wanting to explore more of the island.

He was thinking about making a map, and he decided; why not start now?

Pan wanted him out of the way for something, and he wasn't sure what.

Killian placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, halting him, "Wait, little one," he stated, sympathy in his eyes. He knew exactly what it was like not having parents to raise him. Considering his father had abandoned him and his brother all those years ago. "Come aboard our ship. We have a bed and some food."

Andrew rose his own eyebrow at that, "You sure?" He asked, "You don't know me. I could be vicious and a ruthless murderer," he stated, making sure that the man knew that he shouldn't trust others so quickly. Liam looked at the boy in a cautious manner, finding the immediate danger in those words.

"Are…you?" Liam asked slowly.

"No. But you should be more careful next time," Andrew lectured before walking over to Killian with a small grin on his face. The man looked down at the child and patted his head. Liam shook his head in disbelief before heading back to the ship.

It was the strangest thing, it was mid-day when they had arrived, and yet now it was night. It happened in less than a second. Night wasn't a good time to look for a plant, and they would head back to their search in the morning.

 **To be continued...**


	5. Peter Pan is (not) nice

**A/N: Another update, another chapter. Or something like that, I think.**

 **Thanks:** Croonsgirl, Kat1894, kayluvsall, stiCyrocks425 **for following!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

Hey kid (hey kid)  
Do I have your attention?  
I know the way you've been living  
Life's so reckless, tragedy endless  
Welcome to the family

~Avenged Sevenfold "Welcome to the family"

* * *

Ch. 5: Peter Pan is (not) nice

 **(Past)**

Lilith landed on the ground harshly, her bottom making contact with the dirt that made up most of the ground of the camp. She refused to let out any pain, but she did clench her teeth and hold her breath. Her makeshift hair tie had fallen out, making her completely tangled locks cascade down her back messily.

"My _sincerest_ apologies," Felix drawled out in the straightest tone he could muster. She snapped her head up, her long hair was in her face as she glared up at him. He was holding a dark smile on his face, finding the comedic value in dropping her on the ground.

"You can't keep me here!" Lilith yelled, already on her knees, beginning to stand up to yell at the teen in the face. Even though he was two years older than her - or at least, that's what he looked like - she wouldn't be afraid of him.

When she was younger and right after her mom passed, she was a force to be reckoned with. The local town boys that would often times bully her knew from first-hand experience what her anger had looked like.

It seemed that Neverland brought out that inner dark side of hers. However, with her ambition to get back to her brother, she found the darkness to be a strength.

She did need to keep the darkness in check. The darkness wouldn't consume her and rule over her actions. On the inside, she still needed to remain calm and collected in order to find a way back to her younger brother.

This was getting increasingly hard to do with all of the annoyances that would stir up her pot of unbridled emotions.

"I _will_ find a way to get back to him!" She yelled, standing up to her feet and staring the teen in the eyes challengingly.

"Good luck," he countered right back at her before he started to walk away from the distressed female.

She narrowed her eyes and rushed over to where the forest was. Her hands were trembling from the raw rage that was surging through her veins. Nothing would stand in her way from running through the gaps in the trees and finding her brother.

She was mere inches away when suddenly the trees magically formed a line. "What?" She exclaimed under her breath, not believing that the way out was suddenly blocked off. Placing a hand on the barricade of trees, she felt if the trees that had been suddenly placed together were real.

There was no way that she could accept that she was stuck here; in this place and away from her brother. They had never been separated before, and they couldn't start now. It was just her and Andrew for many years – she didn't know how to do anything else except to take care of him.

Lilith was so focused on the trees and lost in thought that she had never realized that Pan had appeared right beside her. He took note of what she was doing and let out a chuckle, making his presence known.

Startled, she took a step back and stared wide eyed at the teen.

"Checking for authenticity?" He taunted, turning his head towards her. "I assure you, they are genuine," he stated, and then looked back at the trees with a small knowing smile on his face. "Real trees, if you will."

"This can't be happening," Lilith mouthed, not finding any courage to voice what she was thinking. Pan raised his eyebrows in amusement as a devilish smirk appeared on his face. Denial was always the funniest emotion that he had witnessed. It was at that moment when a person had lost something, but refused to believe it.

She took a few steps back, exchanging a look between the teenager and the barricade of trees. She shook her head in disbelief, turning her body swiftly away from him, and running to the other end of the camp. There was a big enough gap for her to slide through, but by the time she had reached it, it had suddenly closed up much like it did before.

The trees once again barricaded themselves into a line.

"No!" She yelled, slamming her hand on the trees that blocked her way in self-pity. The palm of her hand had started to throb and pulsate from being abused. She slammed her hand against the tree once more in frustration before she stared at the other end of the camp.

The trees on the other side of camp looked welcoming and were evenly spaced – if not more so – and were tempting her with the choice of freedom. She turned her body away from the tree that she was hitting and narrowed her eyes at the goal that was in front of her.

Failure wasn't going to be an option.

The only thing on her mind was trying to find a way out of the area and back to her brother again.

Pan watched as the girl ran around his camp with a half smirk on his face. It was amusing to say the least, observing how she was close to freedom, but yet was faced with failure at each turn. He wondered how long she would keep it up before she admitted defeat. He shrugged, knowing that there was no way out for her and decided to start the party.

Pulling out his pipes, he placed them up to his lips. A jolly and familiar tune started to play, and the teenager hovered off the ground and crossed his legs in contempt. The Lost Ones stopped what they were doing and started laughing and wailing. They danced around the camp fire, from which Pan pulled the pipes away from his lips. He knew they would be preoccupied for a long time. He looked over at the girl to see if she was affected by the music he played – and to his suspicions, she was still adamant about escaping.

She couldn't hear the pipes or the music, at least…not yet.

Lilith wouldn't lose her determination; she wouldn't believe that she was stuck in a camp full of unruly teenagers and young boys. Her hair was flying in her face as she ran from one end of the camp to the other, and as soon as a small cramp erupted in her body from running too much, she only stared at the dark forest in front of her. Taking in the barricade of trees that seemed to stop her whenever she drew close to an exit.

Glancing around the camp site, she found that the Lost Ones were dancing around the fire. To her, it seemed as if they were in sync with a sort of music that she couldn't hear. Her eyes drifted from the Lost Ones and then landed on the floating teen who wasn't dancing around like a complete maniac. She locked eyes with Pan, who gave her a harmless wave. Quickly looking away, her eyes darted to a bundle of knives that were in a pile near a tent.

She had never wielded an axe prior before being trapped on the island, the same situation applied for knives. "First for everything, I suppose," she muttered quietly.

Walking over quickly to the weapons, she slowly bent down to the knives and took one. She was about to stand up, but was stopped when Pan was towering over her in interest. Lilith hadn't expected to get snuck up on. She had at least expected his shadow to drown out the light, but was a little surprised to find that he did not have one. She didn't have much time to dwell on that detail before his grating voice reached her ears.

"What are you doing with that, Lil?" Pan asked in curiosity, although he already had a vague idea. He figured she would try and cut the trees down with the knife to give her a chance to escape. Finding the idea common, but knowing it would be futile all the more so, he let out a small encouraging smile.

She wouldn't be able to escape unless he granted her permission to.

And he was far too amused by her antics for him to let her go so soon.

Or maybe never at all…

"I _am_ going to get out of here," Lilith hissed out, standing up. When she locked eyes with the teen, he merely let out a small shrug at what she was saying. It was as if he had heard this speech a thousand times, and it started to concern the girl even more.

He obviously didn't care about what she was feeling, and it bothered her. She switched tactics and decided to go about the more human route – she tried to make him feel guilty about what he had done. Everyone has a conscience, she just had to reach out to him.

"How could you let my brother be alone out here?" She whispered, distasteful about what happened not even an hour ago. When he didn't answer her, she turned on her heels, trying to not lash out at the teen. Nothing would change his opinion about entrapping her here – and it made her frustrated and upset at the same time.

Pan hovered in the air, following after the girl as she walked to the farthest end of the camp. No doubt she wanted to be alone. The teen had to hold in a dark chuckle, that's exactly what he wanted her to feel. Because once she felt alone and vulnerable, he would sway her over to his side of things. She would embrace becoming a Lost One without even giving it a second thought.

"He's only eight!" She growled out, hitting the tree with the knife with anger.

Pan watched as she hit the tree once again before landing on his feet, "About as old as Tootles, I believe," he muttered, watching as she eyed him out of the corner of her vision. He noticed how truly tired she looked, and he knew that she hadn't slept a wink the first night she was here. She must have been too guarded for herself to sleep.

Her hair was in her face once more, and sweat was beading up on her skin. Exhaustion was sneaking up on her, and the teen boy knew that it was only a matter of time before her defenses were down.

Lilith shook her head, raising an arm up to her forehead to wipe away the sweat. "I don't care how old your _savages_ are, Pan," she stated, once again swiping at the tree. Pan noticed she didn't have any form at all. In fact, the way she was swinging it, she would most likely hurt herself one of her strikes.

"I need to find him," she muttered, "I'm the only one he has," she struggled to say. The teen could see her raging emotions appearing on the surface, and held in a smirk. She swung lightly once, denting the tree as a piece of bark came loose. She swung again, this time with more force, and it dented the tree once again, deeper than the last strike. Pieces of bark flew off the tree before landing on the ground next to the two of them.

"He doesn't need you," Pan ushered to her, starting to twist her thoughts and using her own emotions against her. She stopped as she was ready to swing again, her body was trembling. Her blade was in the air, and she couldn't bring herself to swing again.

There was something in Pan's tone, something that was drawing her in, and despite how much she tried to ignore it…she found that she couldn't.

"He was fine while he was here without you," he muttered, placing a cold hand on her shoulder. He let it stay there for a few minutes, letting his cold darkness flow into the girl. "I remember…" He trailed, letting the words hit the girl as she absorbed them, " _He_ distinctively said that he didn't want to come back here, but what about you?"

"What _about_ me?" Lilith asked quietly, standing there despite her want to move away from him. She knew she shouldn't listen to him – but she was finding that his words were getting harder and harder to ignore. No matter how much she wanted to block them out, they found a way into her head. And before she could stop herself, she found that she was beginning to become hypnotized by his soft tone that he was using despite his usual snarky and confident one.

Pan stood in front of her, noticing how bad her hand was trembling.

" _You_ wanted to come back, Lil," he said in a soft voice. He did it for drawing her in, and he knew it would work. That's why, he was a little shocked when she looked to the side, seeming keen on ignoring him. "You let him fend for himself, because you _knew_ he would drag you down."

Lilith looked up at him quickly and she shook her head rapidly in disbelief, "N-No, I wouldn't…" She trailed, not wanting to believe what he was saying, but she found herself believing every word he was spitting out.

"He's my brother, I…" She whispered, her hand trembling even more. The blade started to shake in her grip, about to slide out of her hand at any given moment. She didn't know if she had the strength to hold it up, or even if she wanted to leave anymore.

What if what he was saying was right?

What if her brother _was_ fine without her?

" _Don't_ have to protect him," Pan finished for her, and as soon as he said it, he had to quickly step aside when her knife swung at him. Hearing the weapon being lodged in the tree was the first thing that Pan had acknowledged. The second was when Lilith fell to her knees, unable to hold herself up any more.

"I _do_ have to protect him," she argued weakly, gripping the dirt underneath her hands. By the sound of her tone, she was more so trying to convince herself that her way of thinking was right. She stared up at the teenager, who narrowed his eyebrows at the girl.

"You're the one standing in my way," she muttered, but this time with less resolve than he had heard her say before. It was borderline a whisper, and once again it seemed as if she was still trying to convince herself that she needed to get away from the camp. From Pan, and from everyone. A small part of her on the inside was yelling at her that she needed to rest, that it was okay for her to think about herself for once, rather than pleasing the needs of others.

Pan's surprise and miniscule frustration disappeared at her tone, "It's only a matter of time," he promised, making the girl start to tremble once again from his words, "You will forget about him," he said in a soft tone. He bent down to the girl and gathered her hair in his hands. He felt the girl tense under his touch, and he let out a smirk, knowing that she wouldn't be able to see it. The teenager thought of a green ribbon to appear, and within seconds it did. He placed the ribbon in her hair and then started to walk away.

"Sleep tight, Tiger Lily," he called behind him at the sitting girl.

Lilith shook her head and slapped her hands on the ground below her. For a small second she had believed his words. They seemed to flow so easily from his mouth, but she knew they were lies.

Or were they?

If they were, then why did she find herself believing them so easily?

She quickly shook her head, tearing the nagging questions away from her mind. She knew how easily Pan could manipulate her, and she would not act the way he wanted. She wouldn't give up on her brother, and she especially wouldn't give up on herself. She felt behind her head and noticed that her hair was in a low pony-tail.

Still, she couldn't believe that he had given her a ribbon. There was a small part of her that thought that he was actually a nice person somewhere in his heart. Placing her hands down, she laid on her side and decided to get some sleep - she was exhausted.

Emotionally and physically.

* * *

 **(Present)**

The fire that she had caused was a little ways behind her, and she could already feel the heat radiating from the camp site. In a few seconds, the fire was gone. Tiger quickly hid in the trees, sitting down against one of the trunks, just in time to see a furious Felix run through the forest.

His mace was in his hands, and Tiger knew that he was ready for a fight. After all, she held true to her promise.

After Felix ran in the direction she was initially going down, a rowdy bunch of Lost Boys ran after him. Their weapons were also prepped and ready to be used. Waiting a few seconds, she gripped the bow tightly in her hands and stood up slowly, careful as to not disturb any of the nearby plants or twigs on the ground. She didn't want to give away her cover, and hiding from Peter Pan for twenty years gave her the time to perfect being stealthy.

"You think you can hide from me, Tiger Lily?" Asked Pan, appearing on the other side of the tree. The girl instantly slowed down her heart beat, not letting the teen hear her with his enhanced hearing. She decided to crouch down, thankful that the Devil had let her keep wearing her tribal wear. She had blended into the forest with her brown clothing and let the area provide her the cover that she needed.

The girl peered at the teen from the darkness that the trees and neighboring plants were giving her.

"You're getting bolder, Lil," he chided, walking around the area. She knew that he was able to locate her, but she could still throw him off. "Now, usually, I like fire…" He trailed, giving a quick shake of his head in disbelief, "You didn't need to take the saying so literal."

Tiger aimed her bow towards one of the traps she had set up a few hundred yards away. She prepped the arrow quietly, not wasting a second to shoot it at a barely visible rope that was hanging from a tree across the way.

The log trap was activated from the other side of the forest, making Pan look in the other direction of where the girl was currently hiding. She noticed he held an unsure look on his face as he furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips. He then glanced to where she was hiding and took a step closer to her hiding spot. She held her breath, walking backwards a few spaces. He was trying to bait her out, much like she was trying to bait him with a trap.

Both weren't stupid and naïve, and they were trying to outwit each other.

It all came down with who could play the game the best.

Pan narrowed his eyes, walking to where Tiger Lily was a few seconds previously.

"Tricky…" He commented, placing his hands on a few plants to push them aside quickly. He was met with an empty space, yet, it still smelled like her. He knew she was nearby, and he wouldn't give up after being so close. "I commend your efforts, love," Pan spoke out, making sure to echo his voice against the trees.

He hoped it would throw the girl off.

Momentarily distracted, Tiger was deep into the shrubbery that she could no longer see the teen, but she could still hear him. Right now, she couldn't pin point exactly where he was in the forest. He was purposefully making his voice echo.

She reached out and pulled out an arrow. It was only a moment of time before he would find her, but she still held the element of surprise on her side.

For the moment.

"I believe you've heard the saying…but I never fail," he echoed once again. Tiger listened intently, and she could no longer hear his footsteps. He was most likely teleporting somewhere. That, or he was floating around trying to get an aerial perspective. She narrowed her eyes in the darkness, trying and failing to see clearer. Not taking any chances to miss an opportunity to attack, she gripped the bow in one hand, and the arrow in the other.

A breath was on the back of her neck, and her eyes widened. In less than a half-second, she spun around and forced the arrow into what she suspected was the throat of Peter Pan. She was met with nothing but blank space. Feeling frozen, she couldn't feel the hands that wrapped around her upper arms and twisted both of them behind her. Letting out a growl, she turned her head behind her with clenched teeth to look at him.

"I believe I win our little game of 'hide and seek'?" He asked rhetorically with a victorious smirk permanently etched on his face.

She detested that look.

"Not even close," Tiger hissed out, making Pan squeeze her arms tighter, causing her to drop her bow and arrow that she had taken. The pain filled her body, but she never intended to let out any emotion that she was being hurt. He didn't like being talked back to, and he certainly didn't like to lose.

"You think you've baited me?" She asked, her own smirk slowly coming onto her face. Pan narrowed his eyes at first, and then laughed modestly in the next few seconds.

"Of course," he spoke out confidently, "You always fall into my clutches, Lil," Pan stated out, making Tiger let out a quiet scoff of disbelief and then started to shake her head. "One way or another," he whispered, drawing his head closer to her ear.

Without warning, she drew her head back into his face. She felt her head make contact with his nose, and he took a step back, making him drop her in surprise. She was never the one to play dirty, and Pan's nose started to throb from the hit for only a few seconds. Still, he had decided to play dirty with Felix, she might as well even out the playing field.

Pan thought she would stay where she was, but instead she dropped to the ground, and he realized what she was getting a little too late - her bow. She clenched it tightly summersaulting backwards and grabbed the accommodating arrow as she prepped it on the bow. Landing on her left knee harshly, there was a small crack before she aimed her weapon at Pan.

She looked into his eyes without any fear. He thought it was amusing, and outstretched his arms. "Go on, then! _Try_ and kill me! _Try_ and kill an immortal!" He lectured almost insanely, "We both know that you can't."

Tiger quickly glanced to the left before pulling back the string of the bow. Pan knew that she understood that not a simple arrow could kill him. Nothing could as long as they were together. He was ready to grab the arrow to the left, but he was unprepared when she feigned to shoot left and instead shot right.

His eyes widened, and the next thing he knew he was being hung upside down by his foot. Pan looked around and found the situation humorous; she had outsmarted him. There was a trap next to the tree all along, and he let out a small chuckle, his perfect hair getting tangled from gravity. His ankle beginning to throb from the rope hanging tightly on it.

"I won't be the one that kills you," Tiger said in an unwavering voice. She stood up, letting Pan marvel in the fact that she had beaten him. A girl that he thought was weaker than him. He was about to teleport and pin the girl to the ground, but found that he was frozen in place. He blinked in momentary confusion and then noticed the liquid dripping off the rope.

"Dreamshade," she commented, making the teen boy look directly into her eyes with a small smirk.

"Nicely done," Pan complimented, being beaten at one of his many games, "You _do_ know this will only slow me down momentarily?" He asked rhetorically, looking at Tiger. With one final glare, she turned on her heels. She started to walk past the teen, and he wanted nothing more than to grab her and pin _her_ to the tree.

She was gripping the bow tightly, and he could see that she was trembling.

He knew he was still winning against her.

She still deeply feared him, even when she was pretending to be strong.

"An eye for an eye, you know," he mused out loud, making her look back at him.

Tiger narrowed her eyes at the hanging teen. She watched as the rope twisted his body back and forth, "Are you going to paralyze and hang _me_ to a tree?" She asked, already knowing that Pan was the one to hold grudges. Except, when he enacted his revenge, he took it to a whole new level. The girl knew that she would have to work harder to not get caught.

Pan smirked darkly, narrowing his eyes, " _Precisely_ what I'll do, my dear."

"Good luck," Tiger said in an uncaring manner before running out to where the path was. She took out another arrow and shot it in the opposite direction they were in. The girl couldn't take any more chances.

She would not be caught again.

She couldn't _afford_ to.

"Distracting Felix with a decoy?" Pan asked, finding her planning to be tactical. "Interesting…" He drawled out, "But how long to you earnestly think that this little tactic of yours will work?" he asked. Tiger met his eyes and she took a step back in momentary fear before brushing it off quickly.

No, she had to be strong.

She had people she needed to protect.

Pan had seen that fear and let out a knowing smirk at the girl. Gripping the bow tightly once again, she started to run in the other direction. She had hoped to run into her brother, and she needed to protect him before Pan and Felix got to him. They would no doubt torture him to get to her, and she would _not_ let that happen.

* * *

 **(Past)**

 **London – 8 years prior to Neverland**

Lilith was a trouble maker. She was a six year old who had no mother, and whose father was too preoccupied raising her brother to even tend to her. Sitting on her bed, she examined her bloodied knuckles. The local boys had been bullying her, since she had no mom, and stated that she was going to be unloved for her entire life. They wanted to dish out the comments, she wanted to take things into her own physical hands.

Literally.

She wrapped her hands in her room with a white bandage. It would soon be Andrew's room - but for now - it was hers. The bandage absorbed the red liquid greedily, and she let out a quiet hiss.

"Bloody hell…" She trailed out, noticing how much it hurt her now that her adrenaline high was gone.

Her hair was cut short. She didn't want anything related to her mother - the one who abandoned her to the world and left her alone with unrequested responsibilities. Her long hair was one of them, and in a fit of rage, she chopped off her once long, magnificent locks. It was to her shoulders and was choppy in some areas.

She didn't mind too much, she liked that she looked less 'girly'.

Dinner came and passed, and the young girl wasn't surprised when her father wasn't around to cook her dinner. He was, after all, far too busy keeping up with Andrew. She rolled her eyes and stood up, walking over to the window. She eyed the night sky, finding numerous stars out that night. Times were hard, the very first World War was happening, and she only hoped that London wouldn't be involved. War changes people and takes lives.

"Eh," she whispered, closing her window loudly. She didn't care if she had just caused Andrew to cry because of her small temper. Her attitude about life was that she just didn't belong where she was.

Some kids argued that they never grew up with a mother, and that they had never received that love. To Lilith, it was far worse receiving that love, and then suddenly losing it. It was just a tase of something great, and something that you would never be able to experience again.

Bored, she crawled into bed and shut off the lights.

"I wish that I could just escape," she muttered, pulling the blankets over her head.

"Someplace that can give me safety. Somewhere I truly belong…" She trailed, frowning at the statement. She wanted her father to love her the way her mother did back when she was alive. She missed the days when they used to do things. Now, she felt as if she were an outsider looking in on a life that she wasn't needed in.

A few minutes after she said that, her window shot open forcefully.

"What?" She snapped, letting the blankets down to find a strange shadow staring at her. It was just standing at the foot of her bed.

"Go away!" She yelled, already having a more than crappy day because of the local town boys. She didn't want to add whatever monstrosity the thing was at the foot of her bed to the ever growing list.

It didn't take rejection well, and in turn, started to yank off the blankets. Lilith sat up and glared at the shadow, not finding it scary or terrifying. The boys in her town looked more ferocious than the shadow.

"Bugger off, would ya?" Lilith asked, throwing one of her pillows at the thing. She was more than a little shocked to find it going right through the shadow creature. Her eyes widened, and she sat against the headboard of her bed. A fear spread through her, and she started to shake. This was nothing like the bullies that tried to get to her. The shadow took that as a sign of weakness, and it started to walk right through the bed, despite it seemingly being solid.

"W-What are you?" Lilith struggled to say out, watching as its hands reached down and grabbed the girl's mid-section. It was determined to carry her out the window, regardless if she gave it consent to take her. However, Lilith had no intention of going with a strange shadow being, and gripped her nails into her mattress. The shadow growled and dug into talons deeper into the girl's mid-section, making her scream in pain. At first, it was cold, but then it started to burn.

And _burn_.

And then she felt her skin _crawl_.

Then, it would start to boil, and she let out a piercing scream that seemed to echo around the room. The girl had no idea just how loud she was screaming until her throat started to become sore just after a mere few seconds of constant shrieking.

Still, she would not let go of her mattress despite her suffering.

"Lilith!" Her father yelled, running into the room and found the girl screaming and staring at something that he could not see. "Lilith, there's nothing there! What's the matter?!" He yelled, trying to calm down the girl who was still screaming. The shadow eyed the father and then released its hold on the girl and shot out the window immediately.

The girl relaxed, her hands going to her mid-section instantly.

Lilith looked up at her father, "M-My…" She trailed, swallowing down what she was trying to say. She reached up her shirt, and her father's eyes widened.

"Hurts!" She struggled to say, tears falling down her face uncontrollably. "It hurts, father!" She yelled, her father embracing her in a hug. The dark spots on her mid-section darkened and started to swirl. Her father hugged her tighter, not believing what he was seeing with his own two eyes. His eyes glanced to the window and found it fully open, the curtains dancing against the breezy wind of the night.

He looked back to his daughter and found that she kept talking about a shadow man. Letting out a sigh, he summed up her strange behavior to night terrors. He would have to call up the psychologist tomorrow to schedule another session.

His daughter was never quite the same after his wife's death.

* * *

Lilith was a little more than confused when she woke up and found Pan hugging her. She remembered a nightmare from when she was younger. The dream was blurry, and for some reason, the girl could only remember that her mid-section was starting to hurt. Pushing the teen off of her, now beginning to overcome her sleepy stupor. Due to the force of the push, she fell off a log that she was on backwards, but she had never remembered falling asleep there.

"What do you think you're _doing_?" She snapped at the teen and then quickly hugged herself with her arms. She found the invasion of privacy a bit too much for her to take. Especially after just having woken up. She wasn't prepared to deal with a manipulator like Peter Pan right off the bat.

"You were crying and calling out for your father," Pan informed in a smug way. Lilith looked away from the teen with a glare. "I thought you might want to be comforted."

"I don't," Lilith huffed out heatedly, standing up from the ground quickly, "I don't want _anything_ you can give me, Pan!" She muttered angrily, walking away from the dying camp fire. "Unless a trip back home," she added, after thinking about what she said. She glanced at the teenager who sat Indian style on the log, one elbow on his knee, watching the girl curiously, "You wouldn't give me that, however, would you?"

Pan only smirked at the teen, and she shook her head. She knew the answer, but that still didn't make her wanting for her father any less severe.

"What hurts?" He asked, drawing them back to what she was dreaming about. Her hands unconsciously went down to her mid-section before she could stop herself.

Lilith looked the other way again, "Nothing that concerns you. Just an accident and…" She trailed, not remembering the exact details of what had happened. It had been a few years, and the memory wasn't recent. She still remembered that her father, along with all the other kids thought she was crazy by her explanation.

Still, even though she didn't trust Pan, she wanted to tell him about what had happened. The words flew out of her mouth faster than she could close it.

"And I made up a ridiculous story to cover it up," she muttered, looking back to find the teen standing directly in front of her. He let out a small smile as he tilted his head. He saw the girl as a challenge; a puzzle to solve.

"I want to see what you have hidden."

"I beg your – What are you doing!" Lilith yelled as her green tunic that Pan had supplied her was suddenly lifted up. His rough hands tugged at the cloth, and she couldn't believe that he had the gall to touch her in such a way.

Her face reddened and she couldn't say any words - she was too shocked.

Most men do not lift up girl's shirts simply to see what they could be hiding under there. She slapped his hands away immediately, angered and still in shock.

Pan wasn't expecting the girl to put up a fight, and in turn let out a playful smirk at the challenge. Lilith saw that playful gaze, and she knew that trouble was coming her way. She took a few steps back, tempted to run away from the teen. She wasn't fast enough, unfortunately, and Pan jumped on her, forcing her on her back roughly. He wasted no time pulling up her shirt once again to have a better look.

"How interesting," he stated, making the girl even redder.

Lilith scooted backwards, trying to pull down her shirt once again, but Pan wasn't done with his examination. He placed his hands on hers and put them above her head, "Un…Hand me!" She screeched, pleadingly looking at the teen to let her go.

He looked at her frightened eyes and then back at her mid-section. He watched as the black swirls were reacting to him. Not only him, but all of Neverland. He knew exactly what they were, but didn't know why there were on the girl in front of him. They were remnants of his shadow, meaning that the girl held a part of him within her.

When did that happen?

"It hurts," he repeated what she had said in her dream, now realizing what was causing her pain. It wasn't a question, he knew the pain of ripping off his shadow. For the girl, it must feel like that every second. Sure, it wasn't as if it was the full pain, it was probably a miniscule amount.

He could ease her pain, which could work in his benefit. With this small act, it would make her trust him. And with that trust, she would be more willing to become a Lost One more than ever before. She would realize that she needs him to live. A strong and independent girl like her realizing that she needs the one who she absolutely hated.

Only then she would truly be broken. He held in the sadistic smirk at his plan forming in his head, and instead looked at her face once again.

"S…" She trailed out, looking away, "Sometimes."

"Do you want it to stop?" Pan asked in a soft tone, drawing the girl in to him. She rose her eyebrows in shock that he would even offer. In fact, it left her speechless.

"I can make it stop swirling," he continued and then stopped his train of thought as he looked away, "That is, if you desire it to stop."

Lilith looked at him for a few seconds. She was trying to find out if he was only playing her. She couldn't find any trace of the teen deceiving her.

"Yes, but why?" She asked, making the teen look at her with a soft smile, "Why help me?"

Pan released his hold on the girl's hands and instead waved a single hand over her body. The bruises stopped swirling, and he slowly stood off of the girl. "I want you to trust me," he said bluntly, knowing that the girl would never connect to what his plan was. "I want us to become friends."

" _Friends_?" Lilith asked dryly, not believing anything that was coming out of his mouth.

"Would that be so bad?" He asked, pouting a small amount. Lilith didn't say anything, but noticed a hand being directed at her. Lilith knew that it must have been Pan who placed her on the log, and closer to the fire. He gave her the ribbon for her hair. He gave her new clothes instead of the dirty and ripped ones they had on. Made sure she had food and a place to stay. And he made the pain that she had experienced since entering Neverland disappear.

She kept staring at the hand, a small smile coming to her face.

She was about to take his hand when she realized that her brother was out there in the wilderness. Her smile disappeared and she slowly lowered her own hand. Pan saw this and let out a small frown. He was close, but not close enough to win her trust. It was only a matter of time before she succumbed to him, and he wouldn't have to wait long.

"I'll be here when you change your mind," Pan stated, patting Lilith's head twice before he walked into one of the tents.

She wouldn't trust him.

No matter how long it took her, she would find a way out of the camp site and to her brother. It was only a matter of time before she was back home and with her family once again. And with that, she laid against the log and closed her eyes.

She slept better than last time only because the pain was gone. Lilith was more than confused on how he was able to heal her. And he spoke as if he knew exactly what was happening to her, even though she knew nothing about her injury herself.

Letting out a small exhale, she pulled her arms closer to herself to keep warm.

She would do it for Andrew; she would survive Neverland and Pan for the sake of getting the two of them home.

She let out a frown suddenly.

What…What did her brother look like again?

She was having trouble remembering.

 **To be continued...**


	6. Retribution is Pan's forte

**A/N: I have been lazy. Anyway, another update!**

 **Thanks:** **Michyo61** **,** **MANDERS87** **,** **FreakyFreckledGirl11** **,** **Maryloudd** **for following!**

 **Thanks to** **FreakyFreckledGirl11** **and** **Awesomequeen for reviewing! I'm glad you're both enjoying the story so far!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything!**

* * *

Aware, aware, you stalk your prey  
With criminal mentality  
You sink your teeth into the people you depend on  
Infecting everyone, you're quite the problem

~Set it off "Wolf in Sheep's clothing"

* * *

Ch. 6 Retribution is Pan's forte

 **(Present)**

Walking through the woods with a possessive 'King' after her wasn't as easy as taking a stroll through the park. Tiger shook her head, focusing on the environment around her, not letting her guard drop. This wasn't the time to let her mind wander – not when she still wasn't far enough _away_ from him.

She couldn't help but let her mind trail back to the small scene back in the forest a mere twenty minutes ago.

Pan had come immediately after she had set that fire, meaning that no one was hurt. Henry wouldn't be hurt – not when Pan was after the boy for his own secret agenda.

Although, that's one tactic that would have been interesting to have seen used against her. She could imagine that Pan would use that mental manipulation of his death to lure her back in. Honestly, the girl was sure that she would have gone back to him if it _was_ over Henry. Having a family be broken apart because of her, she would be _no_ _different_ from Pan.

A surge of anger overcame her.

She held the bow tighter in her grip, missing her multiple knives already.

Or a sword.

Anything other than having to use unique and inventive techniques with a basic weapon such as a bow and arrow.

There was a rustling in the bushes, and on instinct, Tiger crouched down low to the ground. She drew out an arrow slowly – not making even a fraction of a sound - and prepped it on the bow. Drawing the string back into a launching position, she narrowed her eyes into the darkness of the forest.

The leaves parted, and an adult man walked out, not caring that he was in the jungle in the least. In all of her time being on Neverland, there were never many adults. This one held some king of magnetic atmosphere to him. Tiger couldn't place her thumb on it, but she knew that he wasn't benign. There was magic radiating off the man in waves.

Rumple glanced round the surrounding area, dusting the dirt or whatever vile forest element had landed on his suit with the back of his hand gently.

Taking the momentary sign of his lack of attention, she fired the arrow. She didn't have the time, nor the energy to stop and ask questions. Not knowing if he was on Pan's side or not wasn't a luxury that she could spare at the moment.

He caught the arrow that was fired towards him in between his index and middle finger almost expertly. Glancing around the area, he noticed the girl camouflaged in the forest and recognized her based on her outfit immediately.

"Tiger Lily," he addressed with absolute confidence as he snapped the arrow with minimal effort and without flinching. The wooden pieces fell to the ground, splintered and no longer of use to anyone.

Tiger Lily wasn't one to back down from a fight, and slowly stood up from her crouched position. She eyed the man cautiously, about to take out another arrow, but stopped when she couldn't feel the quiver against her back. Her hand went over her shoulder to double check her suspicions.

She grabbed air instead of the end of an arrow, and flickered her eyes to the man who held her stolen quiver in his hands in front of him.

"Where is Peter Pan?" Rumple asked, a dangerous tone coming over him when he punctuated each word with venom.

He tossed the quiver on the ground uncaringly.

Her eyes cautiously went down to the pile of arrows that had fallen to the ground from the man. She was aware where her ammunition was - it was just the matter of getting over to it. Her gaze never left the stolen arrows.

"Hanging from a tree," She answered him honestly. She was surprised that she actually answered him truthfully, usually a sarcastic reply would have sufficed.

Or not a reply at all.

"You used some kind of truth spell when you took my arrows..." She suspected, narrowing her eyes, and gripped her bow tighter than before. Rumple did a small shrug, neither confirming nor denying that statement.

"Your magic works here," She stated, not recognizing the man in front of her.

How was it that his magic worked here when nobody else's did?

"I would love to chat, dearie, I really would," Rumple said in a way that Tiger wasn't sure if that was sarcasm or not, a dark glare overcoming his features. He started to walk over to the teen, with a murderous gaze in his eyes. He didn't care if she was considered a child – or if she was a girl.

When an enemy stood before him, he would settle with dealing with them accordingly.

He _would_ find Henry and _kill_ Peter Pan once and for all.

"However, I have other business to tend to, you see," he added, bringing his hand up into the air, making Tiger Lily gasp for breath. She brought her free hand up to her throat, trying to pry away the man's invisible grip over her away.

"I _need_ to find Pan," he hissed out, clenching his hand into a fist. Her breathing passages were suddenly closed, and she couldn't even speak any words. Her body slowly started to levitate into the air. "Knowing that you work with him should give him the incentive to come out here, wouldn't you think?" He asked in a low and devious tone.

The girl didn't have time to argue that she wasn't working for Pan, and instead Tiger Lily began to see dark spots in her vision. Through the lack of oxygen, she tried to keep her grip on the bow. Rumple stood over her, dark amusement in those eyes.

It seemed to the girl that he had enjoyed watching people suffer. He was no different from Pan himself. Glaring at the man, and as a last resort, she lashed out at the man, whose eyes widened at the sudden attack.

He was impressed; not many still had the desire to fight so close to death. He took a step back, losing his concentration for only a split second. The girl crashed to the ground, choking to intake air. The grip on her bow was released, and it crashed to the ground as well only a few inches from her. She was about to reach over to it, but stopped when it was suddenly shattered in front of her.

Familiar boots appeared on top of the bow and the girl traveled her eyes up to the gloating face of the teen that was standing in front of her. "Careful with that one. She is particularly _nasty_ with a bow and arrow," Pan muttered in a triumphant manner.

Tiger merely glared up at the teen, not entirely recovered from her quick brush with death. She should have known that he would never let her be killed. Pan instead changed his focus to the man in front of him.

"Rumple, well, this _is_ a pleasant surprise," he muttered, sarcasm dripping off every word that came out of his mouth.

Tiger carefully crouched to her knees, about to sprint into the forest and away from Pan. The immortal teen, as if sensing her intent to run, placed one hand behind him towards the girl. Suddenly an invisible heavy force was weighing down on her and pinned her in place. She fell onto her stomach in an instant with her palms against the forest floor. Through relentless perseverance, she immediately tried to push herself up to her knees – but she couldn't move even a millimeter off the ground.

Pan's magic was far too strong for her in her weakened state.

"Is it a surprise when you instigated the visit?" Rumple asked, carrying on as if it were only the two of them in the area. His eyes glanced over briefly to the girl who was being held down by Pan's magic. She must have been important to him somehow.

As if sensing what Rumple was looking at, the immortal teenager turned on his heels to gaze at Tiger Lily himself. He could feel his son's eyes on his back – silently cursing him, but not voicing any of his opinions or vulgar statements.

Rumple wasn't one to complain about things.

"Your accusations are correct," Pan stated, walking off the broken bow and towards the distressed girl. He gazed her up and down, finding nothing broken. He leaned down and gripped her face in his hand, and immediately Tiger expressed her discomfort with a small growl. His dark coldness was seeping into her skin, and she forced her face out of his grip with a violent pull to the right.

Pan clicked his tongue at her actions before standing up. "You shouldn't go around stealing other's things," the teenager lectured the adult. "I don't _particularly_ _like_ sharing."

He walked over to the man with a stern glare, "And you also really shouldn't be meddling in things you couldn't possibly understand," Pan muttered in a dangerously dark tone. Tiger Lily could hear the threat in his tone – he wanted Rumple to leave.

"You care for her," Rumple stated out loud, a sly smirk coming to his face. "If I take her, then you will give me Henry in exchange," he hypothesized out loud. His tone was confident, after all, he could exploit the Devil's one weakness to his advantage.

Pan only chuckled at his postulation. "Rumple," he lectured, "Of _course_ I care for my Tiger Lily," he stated, glancing down to Tiger, who was never ceasing her attempt at escaping the magic keeping her in place. Claw marks were in the dirt from her nails from her need to escape.

Her attempts were futile.

"You shouldn't greedily take my toys, laddie," Pan hissed out, throwing the man a small straw doll and Rumple caught it with ease. "Not when you have your own toy to play with first," he stated, releasing his hold on the magic pinning Tiger in place.

Satisfied with the freedom, she quickly got to her knees and was about to run, but found that she was frozen in place.

"No!" She yelled, real fear laced in her tone. Her eyes widened when she noticed Pan walking over to her. She wondered what happened to the man who seemed bent on killing the Devil disguised as a teenager. Her eyes were met with disappointment when she found the adult man sitting on the ground and sobbing over the toy.

"Dreamshade," Pan clarified, referring to her immobilization. She met his unwavering eyes, and her breathing started to become uncontrollable. She was terrified at how serious he was, and she knew that it meant trouble for her. Tiger realized that was the same thing she had said to the teen almost thirty minutes ago.

One could tell that when Pan was annoyed or in a playful mood, he would use the other person's words as his own. It wasn't good news when he got even, because when he did, then no one would be alive at the end of the day.

Peter Pan was downright dangerous when he was like this.

Tiger's heartbeat started to increase rapidly - the fear becoming too much for her to handle. "Why don't I return your little trick?" He asked, genuine enjoyment in his voice. She knew what that 'little trick' was, and she didn't want any part in that.

"Pan!" Tiger whispered out in absolute rage, her emotions catching up with her. Not being able to stop her eyes from narrowing, she glanced over at the teenager. She was at a loss as to what to say to him. He smirked, looking at the girl trapped in her own trick. The Dreamshade was on his hand, and when he touched her, she was affected by it.

After all, he needed to get out of that rope trap somehow.

"This isn't effort for you," she started to lure him in with the excitement of a game.

Cocking his head towards her, he took a step closer, "What isn't?" He asked, "This game of cat and mouse?" He clarified with a grin.

"I happen to like this small game of ours now," he continued, "You don't get nearly as far as you used to."

Tiger clenched her eyes shut, trying to get rid of her anger and rising anxiety that was slowly starting to show. "Where is the thrill of the chase?" She asked, making Pan's hand touch against her cheek. Startled, she drew open her eyes and looked into his ambitiously dark ones.

"Let's get you tied to that tree," Pan said, a sadistic pleasure in his voice. He was about to teleport them back to camp, but she wasn't about to lose her freedom she worked hard to get. Instead, she switched tactics for her own satisfied manipulation. He rose his hand up, but stopped suddenly when she let out a dark chuckle.

"Since when do you play dirty?" Tiger taunted, and then Pan slowly lowered his hand and looked at her with a small amount of confusion. "Then again, you always _did_ cheat."

Pan frowned, "I _don't_ cheat," he defended as he narrowed his eyes.

Tiger let out a small sigh of discontent, "Because there aren't any rules?" She asked, rolling her eyes, "Or because you would lose if there _were_?"

"But don't you see, Lil?" Pan asked, teleporting them back to camp when she wasn't paying attention to him. The sound of the Lost Boys were the only indication that they were back. Tiger looked around in realization, taking a step back to gain distance. If only she had been a few seconds longer for the Dreamshade to wear off. Her small attempt at stalling hadn't worked. She looked up at the teenager and noticed the fire burning in his own eyes at her tactic.

"I've already _won_ ," he stated slowly, letting his words sink into the girl as he walked over to her.

"Shit," was Tiger Lily's only reply. She turned around and tried to run through the forest, only for the trees to barricade themselves to become a wall. She was appalled by this that she only stared at the trick that Pan had used when she first came to Neverland.

Turning around to try and find a different escape route, her face was being held by Pan's hands. She realized that he still had the Dreamshade on him far too late. Feeling the dark purple liquid on her face, the effects were immediate. She lost the feeling in her limbs, and if Pan hadn't caught her in his arms, then she would have fallen to the ground.

"I have a tree with your name on it," Pan promised. Even though she was immobilized, she still felt a shiver run up through her body. She would have finally gotten away from Pan if it wasn't for that stupid adult that had blocked her path.

Now, here she was again, back in Pan's clutches.

* * *

 **(Past)**

Lilith sat behind the large log with her knees brought up to her chest. She was in thought, wondering what her brother had done during the night. Not aware of how dirty her fingernails were, she brought her thumb up to her mouth and bit down on the nail nervously.

If he was alright.

How she should have fought harder to keep them together.

They only had each other out here, and she wanted to get back to him as soon as possible. She was the older sister, the one he was supposed to rely on. Yet, here she was in a camp ruled by an unruly teenager.

She could have sworn he had dark brown hair – but her thoughts then went to his eyes. There was something defining about her eyes that she didn't have.

Maybe they were bigger than hers?

She shook her head, thinking that the idea was preposterous – he couldn't have bigger eyes than her. She was older than him. But still, there was something about his eyes, this she remembered. It had to have been his eye color.

That sounded about right.

Maybe it was green?

No, hers were green – maybe they were brown?

Blue?

There was cheering from behind her that knocked her out of her thoughts suddenly. Curious, she turned around and found that the Lost Ones were fighting.

With swords.

She stood up with wide eyes and turned her body to where the tents were. They were dueling directly outside of them, each sword looked sharp and reflected the sunlight against their cold steel. Taking a step forward, she placed her hand up to her chest in concern.

They were going to hurt themselves if they fought with those.

"Does Lil want to play?" Pan's voice came from directly beside her. He was suddenly standing next to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. She tensed up at the voice as well as his touch on her. "It's exhilarating when being faced with danger," he promised, whispering in her ear. She felt his breath on her ear and realized just how cold he was.

How could a living being be that cold?

"No," Lilith hissed out, side stepping away from the teen and turned her body to where the forest was. "As I've said before, I don't care what you do with your savages," she stated simply, crossing her arms across her chest. She knew that girls were not supposed to play with weapons. Her father had frowned upon her setting traps in the forest for any intruders. She had learned at the young age of ten to plant a log trap and injure many soldiers, just in case she would ever need to showcase her talents.

Sword fighting, however, was very different from setting traps. She would not partake in such dangerous and ruthless activities.

Pan appeared directly in front of her with a cocked head to the side, "I know you want to pick one up," he said in an alluring tone that drew her in. Letting out a gasp, she took a small step back when he rose his hand and a sword appeared in it. A green smoke appeared around the sword, and Lilith wondered if this is what magic really looked like.

He clenched the sword tightly, letting the green smoke dissipate.

"Here," he stated, glancing to meet her eyes.

Lilith shook her head, "I need to find Andrew," she countered, not letting the teenager distract her from him. Family was more important, and it would always be important to the girl. Pan held the handle out to the girl, making her glare at him.

"I said no, Pan," she huffed out in frustration.

The teenager seemed to not like taking no as an answer.

"Your little _brother_ is fine," Pan said, disappearing from her line of sight. Lilith let out a small breath of relief before she suddenly felt her hands on the handle of the sword, with the teen's hands on top of hers. She tried taking a step back, but found her walking into the Pan's chest. Her face started to grow hot from having his body being so close to her.

Lilith immediately tried to drop the handle so that the weapon would fall harmlessly into the dirt, but Pan would not allow her to drop it.

"You hold it like this," he instructed, gripping his hands tighter against hers.

"L-Let go of me," Lilith sputtered out, not liking the idea of indulging the teen at all. She tried to struggle against his chest, but that only made the teen walk closer against her. His chest was touching her back, and she couldn't struggle any more.

"I _said_ let go," she ordered, hearing a faint repetitive musical note in her ears.

Pan guided her hands so that they performed a swinging motion in the air, "You swing like this," he said, as if not hearing the girl's demands for her freedom. Either he didn't hear, or he just didn't care what she wanted. He swung again, this time more quickly. Lilith felt the sword drift through the air and found a small part of herself liking the ability to wield the weapon.

She narrowed her eyes at that.

"Careful, fluid movements," he whispered into her ear. A small smile of enjoyment spread across his face when she tensed up once again.

Lilith tried to block out the repetitive music note, but it was starting to get louder. Choosing to close her eyes, she envisioned someplace else. She imagined a small park that was in London, one with the orange flowers that she ever so loved. Then, there was Thomas, a small local boy who would give her a flower every day after school. Her image was suddenly ruined when the quarter note started to grow in intensity.

She wasn't supposed to be doing this.

But she liked it.

But she wasn't supposed to!

She was supposed to find her brother and get off this island!

Her body became so tense that she became confused at her own actions and emotions.

The music note grew louder and louder.

In a small panic, she opened her eyes and gripped the handle, embracing the weapon in her hands. Quickly she turned around, making Pan release his hold on the girl, and she aimed the sword at him.

Then, the one note tune had stopped. The girl let out a small breath of relief, but her eyes widened when she noticed that Pan's arm had started to bleed. Her eyes went wide when she realized that she had cut him.

"Pan!" She yelled out in alarm. She brought out her free hand towards the teen, concern spreading through her being. Even though he had made her a prisoner on his hell island, she still felt bad that she had injured him. "I'm sorry," she started to say, but was interrupted when the teenager burst out in a fit of laughter.

"Sorry?" Pan asked, shaking his head as he looked at his wound, "No one apologizes," he stated, waving his hand over his bleeding arm. In seconds, the arm was completely healed.

"Because there are no rules here," he instructed, walking over to the girl who still held the sword in her hands. "Besides, you had meant that injury," he muttered over to her.

"I-!" She stuttered, looking up at him. She was offended that he was accusing her of attacking him willingly. It was then that she noticed the smug proudness that was coming off of him. He wasn't angry that she had attacked him - he had _wanted_ her to.

Taking a step back, she shook her head, "No," she simply said, once again in denial of her actions.

Pan smirked at this, "No one forced your hand, Lil," he commented slyly. Lilith felt her body start to shake, she didn't want this. She didn't want to hear what he had to say.

"What a little savage _you're_ turning out to be," he added, walking away. Lilith let out a few frantic breaths before composing herself. She glanced up and noticed that the Lost Ones had all witnessed what she had done.

How she had cut their leader.

She expected them to be angry, she expected a riot to be unleashed upon her for her vile and rage induced attack. Instead, she was met with an applause. They started to cheer for her, and she didn't know what kind of island she had found herself on. It was never okay to hurt a person, and she had hurt someone.

Yet, they hadn't even cared.

They congratulated her for her actions.

Lilith took a few steps backwards, not over her shock from the day. She fell on her knees and dug the sword into the dirt.

It was the music note – it had to have been.

The music made her do it. It made her become violent, and it made her become aggressive. She was no different from Pan's small group of savages, and she wondered if they could hear the quarter note as well.

This made her look up at the Lost Ones. They had gone back to their sword fighting, each one trying to kill the other despite it being practice.

"Can they hear it, too?" She mouthed, not wanting to voice her thoughts in case Pan had somehow overheard her.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Her right ankle was starting to grow numb, and she wondered how long Pan would leave her stuck to a tree before he did something else to her. Dreamshade was soaked into the rope, not allowing her to wait her time for the plant's poison to wear off. If she wanted to be free, she would have to wait until Pan came and got her.

Letting out a dejected sigh, she began to feel her blood starting to rush to her head. If she had one of her knives she would be out of here in less than a second.

"Tiger Lily?" Henry's voice came from directly below her. The girl looked down and found that the boy was looking up at her with his eyebrows raised in confusion. She saw a small ounce of amusement in there too, no doubt finding her situation humorous. "What are you doing up there?" He asked, tilting his head slowly. "Did a trap misfire?"

"Pan's petty revenge against me," Tiger growled out, the rope making her swing away from the boy. She could do nothing about the predicament she was in and let out a frustrated growl.

"Anything you do to him he makes sure to give it back," she muttered, the rope turning towards Henry, letting her see his face.

The small boy scrunched up his face in confusion, "Why can't you get down?" He asked, his eyebrows raised, "You don't have a weapon?"

Tiger Lily did everything in her power not to curse out the child in front of her from his slow observation skills. If she had a knife, or any weapon at all, would she still be in this damn camp of Pans?

More importantly, swinging on a rope hopelessly immobilized?

"If you could find a knife, that would be most helpful," she stated in a straight tone. She tried to leave any residual anger from her voice. She didn't know how fragile this boy in front of her was. She didn't want to spook him, and then have the only person who would try and help her out of this demonic camp leave her.

"Knife?" Henry asked to himself, looking around the camp, finding the Lost Boys preoccupied with practicing their swords. He doubted that one of them would lend him their weapon. He spotted a small cluster of weapons off to the side. There had to have been something useful there that could help her.

"Hold on, I think I see something you can use," he muttered, though with Tiger's keen hearing, she had known what he had said. She unwillingly swung away from Henry, and was facing the other part of Neverland that had Skull Rock glistening in the distance. Glaring her eyes, she knew she would torch that place next.

"Back!" Henry chided happily, holding up the knife in his hands.

"Good," Tiger commented, and the rope swung back to where Henry was. It was a knife, but it was one of her knives. She let out a smirk knowing that her knives weren't dipped in Dreamshade. This way, Henry wouldn't die if he had somehow scratched himself on the blade. "Throw it at the rope," she ordered, darting her eyes above her.

Henry followed her eyes and found his smile vanishing, "Wait, you want me to _throw_ it?" He asked, not liking this idea that the Indian had. His palms started to get sweaty at even the idea of throwing it.

What if he did throw it?

What if he missed?

What if he hit _her_?

"I _don't_ think that's a good idea," he whispered out, not wanting to let his nervousness show through his voice. He had never used a weapon before – he had no experience with them. His confidence in using it properly was diminishing at a rapid rate.

Pan suddenly appeared next to him with his arms crossed as he looked up at the dangling girl. Tiger saw him immediately appear next to the boy since she had the height advantage. She glared at him slowly, silently cursing him for all the hell that he had put her through today. "I don't think so either, Henry," he agreed, making the boy glance over at the teenager. "You see, she's being punished for something she did wrong."

"Wrong, my ass," Tiger hissed under her breath. If she had any feeling in her hands, she would have clenched them in anger. Any time the teenager opened his mouth, she felt the urge to slit his throat. She knew from experience that it would kill one of them.

"Just throw the damn knife!" She yelled, not liking that she couldn't do anything from her predicament. She had developed a short temper over the years, which made her arguably more savage and ruthless. Pan's tactic to manipulate the boy into not throwing the knife was a possibility that she couldn't afford to let happen.

"If you think you won't miss, Henry," Pan said down to the boy. The teen knew that the small child didn't trust himself to help Tiger Lily, even though he knew the boy wanted to. Henry's small hands started to shake, and the knife's blade reflected the sunlight here and there due to the trembling.

"Then _throw_ it," he coaxed gently.

Tiger let out a groan of annoyance, "I don't _care_ if you hit me, I won't even feel it!"

Pan placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, "But you _will_ bleed," he added.

"Henry, just _throw_ it!" Tiger yelled, making the boy jump as the attention was suddenly directed towards him. He held onto the handle of the knife tightly and looked over at the dangling girl. In one quick motion, he threw it.

The knife spiraled through the air before becoming straight during its flight. It was about to make contact with the rope, but stopped a short distance from meeting its target.

Pan held out his hand and let the knife hover in the air. He hadn't thought that the boy would actually throw the knife. And for the boy to actually almost hit the rope without any sort of training…Henry had truly believed that he would hit his target, and Pan knew that he was right with whom he deduced was the truest believer.

"Well done, Henry," Pan complimented, making Henry brush off the teen's hand from his shoulder, "But her punishment is not finished," he stated, waving his hand in front of him and Tiger's knife appeared in his grip.

Henry narrowed his eyes at the teen, "You cheated," he accused, not liking that it wasn't fair to begin with. Pan had never intended on letting him free Tiger Lily. He just didn't know why Tiger Lily meant so much to him. From what he had seen, she hated him, and he didn't seem to care.

Henry knew true love, and this was nowhere close to that.

Pan chuckled, "How can I cheat when there were no rules?" He asked, shaking his head at the boy's childish mindset. Pan then glanced at Tiger Lily, who was glaring her own metaphorical daggers into the teen's head.

"How long have you been hanging up there?" He asked, a smirk on his face. Tiger decided to not let out an answer to his question. "I adore the silent treatment, love, it makes your anger towards me all the more delightful," he stated, clenching his free hand into the air.

In a matter of seconds, Tiger suddenly fell to the ground from a good ten feet. When she met the ground, she didn't let out any comments of pain. She still couldn't feel anything since the Dreamshade was still in effect.

Henry ran over to his friend, "Tiger, are you okay?" He asked, helping the girl into a sitting position since she still couldn't move.

"For now," Tiger hissed out, glaring at Pan as he walked over to where the two of them were on the ground. If she only had a knife, or a sharp stick, then she would be able to express her rage clearly.

"Why the hostility?" Pan asked sarcastically with a smirk, "It was only eight hours," he commented, making the girl's glare darken tremendously. He took that moment to look at her from top to bottom, and he held in a scowl.

She wasn't wearing what she was supposed to; she wasn't branded by him.

And this made him become pissed.

"You must want to get out of those rags, they're filthy," Pan stated off handedly as he reached down to grab a hold of the girl's upper arm, "Luckily for you, I still happen to have some of your old clothes."

Tiger tensed her body, not wanting Pan's hands anywhere near her or the promise of him undressing her. Not to mention, she would never willingly dress as one of his savages once again.

Henry understood her silent plead and decided to do what was right. The boy stood in his way, protectively guarding the girl. His arms were out to his sides, shielding her from him.

"Henry, what are you doing?" He asked, in a warning tone. He had meant for it to come out in amusement, but he did get a little possessive when it came to the girl. Twenty years was gone without her by his side. He didn't want to let her go anytime soon – out of his grasp or sight.

Henry glanced between the girl and the teen, "I know she doesn't want you to touch her," he said, narrowing his eyes at the teen. "She hates you."

Pan let out a half shrug, not letting the words affect him. "She only _pretends_ she does," he responded back in an even tone, "You know, Henry, she did love me once," he stated, drawing the boy in to his words. "That story tale of me isn't all inaccurate - we were close." He said with a smirk, " _Very_ close."

"Fuck off," Tiger hissed out, struggling to move her fingers. She wanted to punch him, she wanted to take Henry and run back to his family and her own. "He's lying…" She trailed out, losing her fire when Pan's cold eyes glanced over to her.

There were many things that Pan was, but he was never a liar.

"I broke her heart, and then had to rebuild it once again," Pan said, casting a sleeping spell onto the boy, making Henry unknowingly believe every word he spoke, "And I _did_ rebuild it…until that _meddling_ brother showed his face once again," he stated, looking Tiger in the eyes again. She felt the urge to crawl backwards, and her fingers twitched in fear. "I had no choice but to kill him to gain back her trust, only except she didn't want to trust me any longer."

Tiger narrowed her eyes at him, "Shut up!" She yelled, not wanting to listen to it. Her past was meant to stay in the past. It wasn't meant to be brought up again. It was too painful – and having to live through it _once_ was bad enough. "You…" She trailed when she found that Pan was standing directly in front of her. She started to grow feeling back into her body.

The girl glanced over at Henry to find him knocked out. No doubt Pan didn't want the boy to get in his way any longer. "You-!" She began to yell, but found that Pan was hovering over her body, making the girl fall backwards onto the ground.

She hit her head against the ground and refrained from showing any pain. Although she started to develop feeling back in her body, that wasn't enough to fight against Pan.

Pan stroked her cheek with his thumb, "One year later she was back in my _loving_ care," he said, a dark smirk appeared on his face. He didn't miss the tears that started to fall from her eyes. She knew exactly what he meant by 'loving care' and she tried to not remember what he did to her in those harsh forty years.

"Stop," she demanded weakly, looking away from him.

"Until she ran away from me making my heart shatter. Of course, Baelfire didn't exactly help the situation," Pan stated, grabbing her chin roughly and forcing her to look up at him. "Twenty years that you left me searching for you," he said in a gentle tone. He leaned his head down to her ear to whisper into it.

"Twenty years full of punishments to deal out," he promised darkly, a complete contrast to his personality just previously.

Tiger Lily gained feeling in her arms and she pushed him away from her harshly, "I will never fall for your manipulative tricks, Pan," she quipped, making Pan let out an inhuman growl towards the girl. Still, she didn't back down from his anger and instead narrowed her eyes at the teen,

"How did it feel when I let Baelfire leave the island without _your_ _permission_?" She asked in a low dangerous tone. She was in the process of scooting back to gain distance but was prevented when Pan pounced on the girl – pinning her in place.

He then placed his hands on her arms, forcing them to be out to her side. She landed back on the ground with the wind being knocked out of her. Barely having time to look at Pan before he narrowed his eyes at her, "You should have _never_ betrayed me."

"Because Peter Pan never fails?" Tiger asked with a straight voice with a smirk on her face. She was too afraid to show fear, and instead let her wit control her. He searched her face, and the girl wondered if he was searching for her lie. She had been telling the truth. "You failed in corrupting me and you failed in keeping Baelfire here," she said, listing his failures.

She opened her mouth to say something more, but found that hers had been invaded by Pan's.

Pan kissed her violently, and he wouldn't let up for anything. Felix wandered into the area, and Pan completely ignored the other teen. Tiger tried to break his hold against her, but found that she couldn't move. She glanced to where Pan was holding her down and found that his hands had a purple color to them.

A sinking feeling came over her; she would never be free of this Devil, and she should have known that seeing her brother would unlock her human side. Her emotions that she had locked away for the past sixty years resurfaced. She let out a groan in complaint that the teen was still kissing her, and tried to pull away her arms.

He responded by latching his nails into her skin, making her bleed.

However, the Dreamshade didn't let her feel anything.

The teen finally pulled his mouth away and noticed the complete defeat on her face. Only his kiss could make her feel completely lost, and he loved reveling in that fact. Tears ran down her cheeks, either in her own defeat, or the hate for herself.

Pan stroked his thumb on her cheek lovingly, wiping away the tears as he did so. "In time you will submit to me again, Lil," Pan promised, letting out a smirk, "When I kill Dent for a second time, that insufferable pirate, and those native savages…" He trailed, standing up, "You will feel lost once again, and you _will_ come to me."

"No," Tiger whispered, making Pan's eyes drift to hers, "Because when you kill them, or any members of my tribal family…" She trailed, making Pan kneel down to take in the full effect of her words, "I will go to a place where you'll never find me and wait," she promised, making Pan's eyes narrow, "And when the last grain of your precious sand drops and you die…" She trailed, "I'll finally be free of you."

"What makes you think that I won't find you again?" Pan asked rhetorically, taking in the girl's murderous gaze directed at him. He found it cute, the eyes of a predator, and yet of the prey at the same time. "And even if your plan does work…you're forgetting Felix. He would never let you be free and he'll carry on where I left off."

Tiger let out a growl, and Pan let out a fit of hysterical laughter at seeing what she was thinking about – the promise and sweet release that death was going to offer her. He found that part comical, death was not going to be as favorable to her the second time.

Pan shook his head, containing himself, "You really think you're as good natured as you were when you first killed yourself?" He asked, "The only place you'll be heading when you die is the Underworld, and I'll be waiting on the other side with open arms, Lil," he stated, standing up once again and he started to walk away from the girl.

"Liar!" Tiger yelled after him in absolute rage. She felt the Dreamshade wear off, and she sat up quickly after the retreating teenager, "You're lying!"

"Oh, love…" Pan stated, turning to look at the girl who was fearfully scared of the fate she had earned for herself. Of course, he had his influence in the fate that she was forced to endure. "I really wish I could say I was lying about this one…But you know for a fact," he said, allowing his next group of words to hit the girl slowly, "I. Never. Lie," he said each word with a smirk before turning his head and disappearing into the forest.

Felix took one glance at her before he trailed off after his leader.

She clenched her hands and stared to where they had left.

 **To be continued…**


	7. Exploring the note F sharp

**A/N: And here we are once again. Thank you for all the new follows/favorites since last time! I would credit every one of you, but I do this in the odd hours of the morning after I do calc/physics torture and I'm completely out of it.**

 **I would like to say that I am incredibly thankful for all your support!**

 **If you are starting to get confused with plot elements in the story, just know that everything will be explained!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

Erase myself and let go,  
Start it over again in Mexico  
These friends, they don't love you  
They just love the hotel suites, now

~ Fall Out Boy "I don't care"

* * *

Ch. 7: Exploring the note F sharp

 **(Past)**

Lilith didn't sleep well that night, and woke up to the sounds of the Lost Ones playing with sharp and dangerous weapons once again. She knew that they seemed to enjoy fighting each other: harnessing their skills, brushing up on their techniques. She opened her eyes and found that the forest that was directly ahead of her was clear for once.

The girl blinked and slowly sat up, seeing the opportunity for a chance to escape. It had already been three days since she had seen her brother, and she needed to know if he was alive - if he was okay. Just the agonizing fact that he was left alone was taking a toll on her.

Even if she couldn't remember what he had looked like – she was absolutely sure that her heart would recognize him for her. Her mind was lost in foggy and unclear memories, but her heart would always show her the truth.

Besides, his name was just on the tip of her tongue, but locked away in uncertainty.

Just as she placed her hands on the ground for her to stand up, she found a Lost One that she hadn't seen before walking in front of her. She glanced up, slightly startled at the fact that one of them wanted something from her. Not one of them had spoken to her, aside from Felix or Pan himself. The boy seemed to be a little younger than her and had shoulder length brown hair. Of course it wasn't groomed, and was clumped together in certain areas from years of neglect.

He let out a grin and rested his menacing club on his shoulder.

"Word on the island is that you want to learn how to use a sword," he stated out of the blue, eyeing the girl up as if she were a delicious piece of food.

"I don't believe I've ever stated such a thing," Lilith commented back, not liking where this boy was steering the conversation. She definitely didn't like that look in his eyes, and she knew it spelled out bad news. Before she could so much as take a breath, another Lost One jumped out from behind the log she was leaning against. He was younger than the one that was currently speaking to her, and the girl's eyes grew wide in surprise at seeing another one with his surprise, yet sudden entrance.

"Why is it that Peter wants _her_?" Asked the one who had just jumped into the area. He had blonde curls that seemed to be springs from a mattress on his head. Lilith guessed it was because his hair had also been matted together for many years. "She looks weak!"

The older boy pulled his club on the younger one and swung him in the shoulder with the dull side of the weapon. The younger boy hobbled to the side, all the while clutching where the older boy had hit him. Lilith expected a cry of pain from the younger boy, but was instead met with a twisted grin. "Careful how you speak to her," the older boy hissed out. "She easily tore Ryan a new one with just her fists," he stated, eyeing the younger boy in disappointment.

Lilith stood up, placing her hands behind her on the log and helping her body up. She couldn't believe just how violent these boys were. It was clear to her that when they were hunting after her and her brother, they had never truly intended to hurt them.

Pan must have ordered them to only give them a scare. It had worked, but the fact that they could become more ruthless and lethal made her nervous. She had better watch her words – she didn't want to accidentally set one of them off thoughtlessly.

"I don't really wish to learn how to…" Lilith trailed out, losing her will to speak when the older boy pulled out a sword from behind him. The blade was directed towards the ground, and the handle was being offered for her to take it in her hands. The mere glance at the weapon seemed to call her, and soon enough she started hearing a tune, although it was distant and weak, she could still hear it.

"No," she muttered, forcefully tearing her eyes from the steel weapon. She wanted to take it – how badly she wanted to take the weapon in her hands and swing it around. But she couldn't give in to her growing chaotic itches. If she did, then she would be just like the rest of them – like the rest of the Lost Ones.

And she would not become one of them.

She had a fear that if she did, then she would never be able to come back from it.

"Are you scared?" Chided the younger boy with a mocking grin. Lilith glared over at the younger child, and the younger boy unknowingly took a step backwards at the menacing look that the girl showed him. "W-Well…" He struggled to say, finding his confidence diminishing, and his childish tactics at persuading the girl wouldn't work.

"I am _not_ scared," Lilith hissed out, making the younger boy flinch, "I _choose_ to not partake in activities that could harm others."

The older boy placed the sword in the ground in front of her. As the blade sunk into the ground, it let out a small sound. Lilith was drawn to the sound, and turned her head toward the weapon. Her eyes landed on the handle of it, and the tune started to grow louder. She didn't know where it had come from, and she drifted her eyes from the handle of the sword and up to the eyes of the older boy.

He hadn't heard the single music note, which she now knew that she could only hear it. It sounded constant, as if she were at a concert in the Grand Hall of London. She pictured a single piano on the stage, and one constant sound coming from the elegant instrument. It was hard to distinguish, since she had never played the piano, but it sounded close to an F note.

When she came to reality, she found the sword in her grip, and her swinging it around as if she had a few basic skills under her belt. She paused and found the situation confusing, and she didn't understand. She looked around and found the rest of the boys practicing with their own set of weapons. The older boy from before walked over to her, "Why did you stop?" He pressed.

"This isn't me," Lilith whispered, dropping the sword with shaking hands. The blade sunk into the ground and made a small noise as it was absorbed into the Earth. "He's _making_ me do this!" She yelled, glaring around the camp site for the only one she believed that could make her act such a way. It had to have been a trick, she would never willingly pick up a weapon.

"Where is he?!" She yelled, venomous, uncontrollable anger overcoming her small fear over the teenager.

"Pan is out dealing with some visitors," the older boy answered vaguely with a small smile. "My name is Nibs, by the way," he stated, offering the girl with what he assumed was a charming grin. Lilith stared at him for a few seconds before she narrowed her eyes once again. She wasn't too inclined to become friendly with the boy, not when she had done something out of character.

"What is it that you think he's done to you?"

Lilith shook her head, "I keep hearing this…" She trailed, placing her hand to her head, a pounding headache coming to her. Just the thought of the repetitious note in her mind made her brain pulsate in a painful way.

It was as if the music note itself was coming from the island.

And the strangest thing is that it seemed familiar to her – as if she had heard it somewhere before. Before she came to Neverland, and was still in London. It was a strange feeling, one where she couldn't accurately place the nostalgia that the music note brought.

"Music?" Nibs asked, a little more hopeful than Lilith would have liked him to be. After all, if Nibs knew that she could hear the music, then that meant that she was slowly turning into a Lost One. It was the music of the children who felt unloved and lost.

She shook her head with a sigh.

"More like a flat tune," Lilith explained, "Like a musical note," she added, and Nibs looked at her with a straight expression on his face. If any hint of emotion had been shown, Nibs had tried his best to cover up his disappointment.

She wasn't as far along as Pan would have liked her to be.

She let out a sigh, "Maybe it's not Pan…" She trailed, walking over to where a large log was and sat on it. She didn't know how long she had been practicing the sword, but the sun was starting to set. Another day had gone and her search for her brother had gone unsatisfactory.

Nibs glanced at her and then rose his eyebrows, "Why don't you sleep with us in our tent?" He asked, making her look up at him with raised eyebrows. "You're on Neverland, and Pan wants you here," he justified with a small shrug. "We have an empty hammock with your name on it," he stated with a small grin. He knew he needed to get her to trust them.

It was all a part of Pan's plan in making her want to willingly stay in Neverland. She just needed to hear the music, and once she did, she would never want to leave.

Lilith wanted to reject his offer, but he was being nice to her. He was the first Lost One to actually talk to her as if she were a person. Not as if she were a toy for Pan like Felix usually looked at her. She nodded, grabbing her arms when the night wind danced around the area.

"Okay…" She muttered, feeling as if she had grown a connection with Nibs if only for today. "Pan isn't having a camp fire party tonight?"

"Not tonight, he's…" Nibs trailed and then let out a chuckle. "Come on, I'll introduce you to Tootles," he ushered, waving his hand towards one of the tents. The girl was curious as to what the immortal teenager was doing in his absence from camp. Nibs seemed to know more than he let on, that much was obvious. No matter how much he tried to cover it up – he was a terrible liar.

Still, as Nibs started to walk towards the tents, the thought was stored within the confines of her mind.

She couldn't believe that he was trusting her into his tent. Lilith couldn't help but bring a smile to her face, she didn't think she would mind it here if it was like this every day. When she made it to the tent, she froze at that sudden thought that had entered her head.

No, she would never like it here.

She needed to get back home.

These people weren't friends, they were enemies. She was sure of that. Any accomplice of Pan was definitely an enemy, no matter how nice and friendly they seemed.

"Nibs!" A young boy that was Andrew's age yelled when Nibs entered the tent. "It's Tiger Lily!" He greeted with a small smile on his face. Lilith was startled out of her thoughts and looked down at the sweet and innocent looking boy that was in front of her. Her heart went out to the boy, he didn't seem to be a savage. He seemed too young to even pick up a weapon and do Pan's deeds. For now, she wouldn't see them as enemies. If only for the time being. She needed to earn their trust and then find out the secret to leaving.

Lilith let out a smile, "Hello there, little one!" She greeted, and she watched when Tootles ran over and embraced her lower body. She was taken aback, and she hesitantly returned the hug. If Pan wanted her to be part of his twisted sick family, then she would.

At least, just for now.

* * *

 **(Present)**

She heard that horrid music that eventually reached her ears. Slowly sitting up from where she had fallen asleep, Tiger glanced around the area. Henry was in a hammock next to her, and she found that she was in one of the tents.

Letting one of her hands go through her long hair, she realized that her braids had fallen out. Although, after the hectic few days, she wasn't too surprised. Pan and Felix were particularly rough with her. When she tried to roll off of the netted bed, she found that her body was completely sore. Naturally, of course, she wouldn't let that slow her down.

Her endurance and the will to survive has kept her from Pan all this time.

Henry let out a small groan, and he slowly opened his eyes. "Tiger…?" He asked, his vision was fuzzy at first, and then it quickly adjusted. Tiger looked over at the boy and quickly hopped down from her hammock. Maybe she still had enough time. If Pan didn't know they were awake, then they still had the advantage.

Quickly walking over to where the boy was, despite her body's screams at her to stop, she reached up and placed him on the ground. From where the hammock was at in the air, no doubt the boy would have hurt himself jumping down. Tiger knew that Felix must have put him up there, not caring for that small detail.

"Come on," She whispered out, making her way towards the back of the tent. It was, after all, a sneaky yet tactical escape. The camp was where the front entrance of the tent was, and if the still playing music was any indication, the Lost Boys were having a small party.

Tiger could tell that it was still night by the fire being illuminated on the thin material of the tent. Letting out a small internal sigh of disappointment, she knew that Pan wouldn't let it become day. He hadn't in the few days that Henry's family had come, and she wondered if there was any part of Neverland that had sunlight as of right now.

The crops at the village wouldn't be living for too much longer if Pan kept up with the unplanned shifts of night and day.

"Okay," Henry agreed, walking on the tips of his feet to avoid any unnecessary noise. Tiger would have complimented him for his sneaking skills, obviously he wasn't inexperienced to creeping around and trying to be unheard.

The music kept playing in her ears, and it seemed to be getting louder. She summed it up to just Pan becoming too power hungry, assorting his authority over the other Lost Boys by making them dance longer. Tiger wanted to place her hands against her ears, but knew that it would be futile. Hearing the music of the lost was a guarantee that you were a Lost One; that Pan could control you, and he would never loosen his grip over the power that he held over you.

"Are you…?" He began to ask, at seeing the small amount of pain and growing irritation on the girl's face. He knew that she wasn't in physical pain, it seemed to be coming from the inside.

Tiger shook her head, trying to get rid of the music.

It didn't work, as it seemed to keep on playing. After not hearing it for so long, her small resistance that she had built up to it had vanished. Her body started to shake, the wanting to dance by the campfire growing stronger with every painfully aching second.

She looked around for something that she could use to rip the tent open so they could escape. Pan must have known that she would try this, since there were no weapons around for her to use.

Rolling her eyes at how hopeful she had been thinking, she gripped the tent tightly with her hands illuminating a faint, barely visible white light. Henry was silent, but his eyes widened at the fact that the girl could use magic. The tent made a loud ripping sound, revealing a small tear, and the multiple threads that had made up the material drifted in the wind; barely hanging onto the tear.

When she was met with light, she was very confused. Then, that confusion turned to seething annoyance at seeing the camp site in front of her. She glanced back and found a light being illuminated on the other side as well. A realization quickly came to her head - Pan had tricked her.

Letting out a hiss of anger, she took a few steps outside and found the chanting and howling laughter of children to be frustrating. Her eyes scanned for the one teen in particular who knew her as well as she didn't know him. She didn't need to look long, after all, he was the only one who wasn't dancing around like a maniac.

Felix, of course, was nowhere to be seen.

Henry stumbled out of the tent, almost tripping over the new exit that the tent now had. When his feet landed on the ground, he found that Tiger Lily was walking menacingly over to where Pan was. If Henry had to describe what he had saw, it would be a tiger approaching a demon.

Pan stood confidently, just then choosing to lower the small pipes from his mouth.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," Pan taunted with a demeaning smirk on his face. Tiger knew that he figured everything was a game. Her life made no difference in his way of thinking. She just wondered how he knew that she would try the back entrance instead of the front. Although, she quickly came to the conclusion that it didn't matter. With Neverland magic, anything was possible, and that included the entrance and the back exit leading to the same place.

After all, if Pan wanted something, then he got it.

"Care for a dance?" Pan asked lazily, an ever growing smirk was on his face.

"You really think that tent trick will stop me?" Tiger muttered out with narrowed eyes, she completely ignored his offer. She stared fearlessly into Pan's dark orbs. She studied his smug and proud face, looking for a weakness to use. She was unsurprised when she didn't find anything she could exploit.

"Make no mistake, I _will_ get back to my brother," she stated in a confident tone. "I don't care how many things of yours I have to _break_ to get me there."

Pan let out a chuckle, "I'd much rather you use the front door like _everyone_ _else_ next time," he decided to say as he ignored her small courageous speech that she had made up on the spot. Her anger never subsided and she decided at that moment to turn away from him.

Her eyes scanned the forest, but as soon as she took one step towards the trees, they all formed a barricade. It was an unwanted sense of déjà vu. The fact that he still thought that she was as useless as Lilith was enough to make her punch something. Yet, it didn't matter that she could climb trees, that she was stronger both mentally and physically than before.

If she couldn't take Henry with – then the escape plan was useless.

"And you'll have to try better than that," he added, floating into the air as he crossed his legs, "We both know how creative you can be," he spoke out in a sing-song voice.

Tiger glared at the teen from the corner of her eyes, seething in her own rage. She shouldn't have let herself be caught. It was a foolish thing to do, and now that Pan had her, it didn't seem like he would let her go.

Glancing up to the night sky, she examined how the stars seemed so bright. She was a little jealous, they shined so bright, yet, she didn't even light up anymore. In enemy territory, the stars only brought her a small escape from a personal hell.

She looked up at the sky often. It was a constant reminder of how this entire mess had started in the first place. Her yelling up at the sky for the shadow entity to bring back her brother. The only one she had to blame for her Neverland imprisonment was herself.

It was an escape – yet a constant reminder.

Free, yet trapped at the same time.

"Tiger Lily, you okay?" Henry's small voice asked from behind her. She looked back down and let out a long breath to try and control her emotions. Looking into the small and scared eyes of the boy, she knew that she couldn't leave him alone. Not when he was looking at her like her eight year old brother had looked at her all that time ago. He yearned for someone to trust, someone to be his friend in this terrifying and bleak surrounding.

She already tried to be a hero to Baelfire, and after she was caught by Pan again, he broke away everything that thought that she could be human again. He destroyed her, and she didn't even know her name for at least two weeks. Not to mention, he took something from her that she couldn't leave Neverland without.

"One last song!" Pan cheered out to his Lost Ones. Tiger looked up at his sudden voice and found that he was looking down at her with a calculative smirk. She was immediately on edge, and she knew that already what was about to happen.

There wasn't anywhere that she could run to, and instead she braced herself.

Pan pulled out his pipes and began to play loudly on them. It was louder than he was playing before, and before she could stop herself, she brought her hands up to her ears. The invasive music was polluting her mind, it was telling her to dance with the others.

Telling her to let go and have fun.

She wouldn't.

She.

Would.

 _Not_.

"Henry, don't listen!" She yelled, falling to her knees. The fight to remain standing was taking a toll on her body. If she stayed at the camp for another day, she had no doubt in her mind that she would be dancing around that camp fire, completely at the mercy of Pan. She closed her eyes, her vision was starting to become double.

The music wanted into her mind, but she wouldn't let it control her.

She would never let Pan control her again.

"Close your ears!" She muttered, losing her strength at fighting it. The clashing of tunes that didn't mix well together slowly started to invade her mind. It was nothing like the joyous and celebratory music that the natives would play at their nightly gatherings. This was a screeching and encompassing hell for all those that can hear it.

Henry was confused, all he could hear was the chanting and howling laughter of the Lost Boys. He didn't hear this music that Tiger Lily was hearing. His eyes then glanced down to his friend and he saw her slowly start to get up.

Tiger's gaze was unfocused when she opened her eyes and stared over at the fire. Pan held a smirk on his face, deciding to play his pipes louder than before with a small amount of excitement. It had been decades since he had seen her dance.

When Pan played louder, Tiger halted her movements, shaking her head quickly. Henry knew she was in a trance of some sort, and that she was still trying to fight it. He knew that he would have to be her anchor and help her.

"Tiger Lily!" He yelled, pulling on her hand with a small tug. "You _have_ to _fight_ it!"

"She doesn't _want_ to fight it, Henry," Pan stated, landing down by the boy. Henry glared as he looked up at the teenager standing next to him. Pan's tone was light, but there was a dark glare on his face. It wasn't directed towards Henry, but rather at their intertwined hands. Henry knew Pan was mad at anyone who tried to touch Tiger Lily.

Anyone except him.

"Yes!" Henry argued, tugging on Tiger Lily's hand, "She does!" He added, knowing that she had the strength to fight it. He had seen her fight Felix, if only for a few moments. He knew how strong willed she seemed, she would never give up a battle without a fight.

This wasn't any different from that.

Tiger Lily blinked, the music starting to disappear from her mind. With Henry becoming her anchor to reality, the music had started to vanish. Peter Pan glared at that, after all, he wanted a show. He wanted to see her dance, and nothing, not even the heart of the truest believer was going to stop this.

Pan quickly managed to separate the two of them by waving his hand towards Henry. The small boy flew back a few feet before landing on the ground. He let out a small grunt when his bottom hit the dirt. The girl seemed to have wasted all of her energy from fighting that she fell to her knees slowly. Her long hair draping down her back as she did so, and Pan was at her side in an instant. His hand was supporting her back, preventing her from falling onto the ground even more. Her eyes were still distant, letting Pan know that she was still under his influence.

He decided that she wasn't in the best mental condition to dance for him. There would be other opportunities for her to perform in front of the camp fire. However, he decided to switch tactics. She had grown strong willed in his absence, and he needed to plant the seed of doubt.

"Lil," Pan addressed in a gentle tone. She wouldn't look at him, her vacant gaze still staring straight forward towards the fire. He gripped onto her body tightly, letting the girl flinch in his grip, "Lil," he restated, this time more harshly.

She looked over at the spot next to the camp fire, and then a little ways away from that. She was finding it hard to gain control of her eyes, and then her eyes landed on Pan. He stared down at her as she stared up at him with empty, vacant eyes.

"That's a good look on you," he condescendingly said with a smug grin on his face. He couldn't resist saying a sarcastic thing to get her riled up. The tips of her fingers twitched, and Pan knew that she was trying to gain control back quickly. "Tell me, Lil, how do you feel knowing that your brother left you in Neverland?"

"I…" Tiger Lily struggled to say.

She tried to look away, not wanting to answer Pan's question. He pulled her face back before she could look fully away from him. His grip wasn't gentle, and he harshly placed her head to forcefully look up into his eyes. Her eyes landed on the dirt next to him instead of the teen. After a few seconds, he glared at her, mentally telling her to confess to him. Her body started to tremble, trying to fight his influence. Henry clenched his fists in anger when she looked up at the teenager again.

"Betrayed," she answered simply in an emotionless tone. Henry couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine at her broken, crushed voice.

Pan couldn't help but let out a smirk, "You blame him for all of this, don't you?"

Tiger shook her head slowly, as if in a state of confusion, "No. I would never blame…"

"But he has grown up without you. He didn't even look back. That has to make you feel something, doesn't it? How does it make you feel?" Pan asked, edging on her inner sub-conscious to reveal her true, darkest thoughts. "Infuriated? It makes you want to tear him limb from limb, doesn't it?"

She squinted her eyes, "Stop," she pleaded weakly, but his grip on her became tighter. "Maybe…maybe I…" She struggled to say. Not wanting to give into Pan any more than she already had, she was trying to fight him off mentally.

It wasn't working.

"Stop!" Henry yelled, getting to his feet to help his friend, "You can't force answers out of someone!"

Pan glanced over at the child and raised a mocking eyebrow towards him, "Your mother does it all the time," he supplied his answer, and Henry looked down at the ground slowly. The boy knew that he was right, but that didn't meant that his mom didn't regret what she had done. Henry could see it in her eyes every time she looked down at him. She was full of love, and he had no doubt in her mind that her black heart was turning back to red. But when Henry looked at Pan, he didn't see an ounce, or a speck, of red in that heart of his.

He was pure evil.

"Now, let the immortals talk," Pan chastised, looking back down at the girl with a soft smile.

Tiger tensed when his eyes landed back on hers. She tried to pull out of his grasp, but he wouldn't let her go so easily. "Pan…!" She struggled to say, twitching her full hand now. Pan let out a 'tsk' at seeing her gaining back control of her body. The more she tried to move, the more control she seemed to get. The immortal teenager let out a mockingly disappointed sigh and shook his head.

There would be tomorrow for her to tell truthful answers.

And the day after that.

She would tell him all that he wanted to know these past decades.

Perhaps he would need to wait until Henry was out of his way.

"Let go!" She screeched, her hands pushing hard onto Pan's chest. She used a small fraction of her magic, and Pan was sent flying backwards until he teleported safely a few feet next to the fire. Tiger landed on the ground since no one was holding her anymore.

"Tiger!" Henry yelled, running over to her. She was letting out panted breaths and couldn't seem to get a grip on herself. From the music, she was left with a pounding in her head, one that caused her to let out a hiss. She closed her eyes, the pain becoming too much for her. Henry placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's going to be okay!" He said, his hopeful optimism getting the better of him.

"What did you…" Tiger mumbled, opening her eyes and looking over at Pan in accusation. "Do?" She asked, not remembering what had happened since the music had invaded her body. Pan merely stared at her and then let out a shrug. He allowed the Lost Boys to stop dancing, and the more he continued to ignore the question, the quicker her anger started to rise. "Answer me!"

Pan let out a chuckle, "What _did_ I do?" He asked, placing a finger on his chin in mock thought, "Like you, I'm seeming to draw a blank." He stated, a grin appearing on his face as if it were a game. Tiger stood up, her fists clenched at her sides. "I just don't seem to remember what I did that would warrant such a detested stare?" He asked again. He was expecting her to lunge at him, and he wasn't disappointed when she started to charge at him.

Tiger let out the first punch, just narrowly missing her target as he teleported away from her. He reappeared behind her, and he tapped her shoulder. His cold darkness once again invading her skin, and she turned around with a growl and tried to throw a punch towards his head. He had ducked down and then chose to kick the girl's legs from underneath her. She fell to the ground harshly, not having enough energy to do a cartwheel or a flip in the air to right herself. The dirt flew up around her, and she stared up to the mocking face of Peter Pan.

"You're going to die," she promised darkly, the fire burning in her eyes never dying out.

"If I die, then I'm taking you with me, Lil," Pan promised himself as he tilted his head. Henry knew that if he didn't know better, he would consider them old friends. The immortal teenager wagged his finger in the air, as if he were lecturing the girl. "Now why don't you go to bed?" He asked, "I know how much you missed me, but we can talk more tomorrow, I promise," he stated, glancing at the girl out of the corner of his eyes.

She didn't say anything back, only produced a heated glare as she quickly stood up. She wobbled a little bit, and Pan reached out a hand to catch her, but she looked at the offered hand as if it were poison itself.

"The day I need your help is the day I die," she hissed out, walking away from him and towards the tents. Henry quickly followed after her, not wanting to be left alone with Pan himself. He wasn't sure if he could stop Pan's words from taking an influence on him.

Already speaking of which, he couldn't stop thinking about what the teen boy had said about his mom.

Regina had changed, hadn't she?

* * *

 **(Past)**

Over the next few days sword fighting, Lilith began to let out a small playful smile. Nibs had seen it, and right away he could see that Pan's plan to make her join them was starting to work. Then again, Peter Pan never failed. The Lost One expected nothing less of their leader. He was lost in thought when Lilith had knocked his own sword out of his hands. She let out a victorious cheer and brought her arms in the air with a cheeky smile.

"Hah! I have defeated you!" She yelled in triumph.

Nibs let out a smile of his own, albeit it was a small one. "Seems like it," he stated, looking over to where his sword was. She had knocked it a few feet away with one harsh attack, and to say that Nibs was impressed was an understatement.

The Lost Ones all knew that she had a knack for fighting, and this just as well proved that small fact.

"Soon you'll be battling Pan!" He muttered, not believing the words that had sprung from his lips.

"The girl up against Pan?" Felix said from the shadows. Lilith looked up from her victorious position and let her body slump. She had mixed feelings about Felix, and she didn't know just what to think about him. He seemed to be Peter Pan's most loyal Lost One.

Her sword in her left hand felt heavy and she let it plummet to the ground.

"Why don't you and I have a dance?" He asked, outstretching his hand for the girl to take. Lilith furrowed her eyebrows, it was as if he was genuinely asking for a dance, and yet he was referring to sword fighting.

A fight that she knew she would _not_ win.

"I'm fine," Lilith declined politely. She took her hand off the handle of the blade and wiped her sweaty palms on the tunic. It was at that moment that the familiar tune that she had been hearing for about a week now rung out.

The same note being played over and over again, insisting on her to fight - screaming out at her for her to pick up her sword.

Choosing to ignore it, she turned on her heels and started towards one of the tents. She genuinely was tired, and now the note rang out in her head once again; demanding her attention.

A few steps was all it took before she quickly dodged, feeling something was coming at her. The musical note was blaring at a high frequency. When she looked up, landing on her hands and knees, Felix had just swung at where she used to be.

Felix rose an eyebrow slowly in interest, "I hadn't expected you to dodge that," he answered honestly, making Lilith shakily stand to her knees. The girl felt eyes on her, most likely the entire camp had stopped their practice and decided to watch the provided entertainment.

"No one can predict my attacks…" He trailed out, standing up straight and swinging his sword to his side, "Impressive," he commented with a smirk on his face. Lilith began to feel an aura of cockiness from him, and she knew that he thought that he was the toughest one in the camp. Despite her best intentions for not fighting him, she found it hard to turn down a challenge when it presented itself in front of her.

"You were planning on _killing_ me?" Lilith asked, understanding the situation. Felix let out a small shrug, but Lilith wasn't done with her rant, "Because I don't _intend_ to go down without a fight!" She yelled out, making a break for her sword.

The musical note was slowly playing in the background; long fluid notes rang out. Felix saw what she was doing and narrowed his eyes in focus. He swung at her, aiming to cut her mid-section, but she quickly slid on the ground with her knees. He watched as she slid in between his legs and grabbed her sword. Loose dirt was pulled out along with it, and she managed to block one of Felix's quick attacks.

Steel tasted steel, making an ear screeching 'clank' ring out in the area. The Lost Ones started to cheer, pleased to have more than just a small fraction of entertainment. Lilith stood to her feet, placing more weight into her attack, making the teen boy take a step back to pull the weight off. He rose his eyebrows in delight at a challenge for once.

"It would be boring if you did," he muttered darkly, putting his own weight into his attack.

The Lost Ones watched as the girl slid back on her feet, and Lilith looked up from her sword with a small smirk, "I would hope that you'd ease up," Lilith whispered out, her arms trembling from the strain she was putting on them.

"I'm only a beginner, after all," she muttered out, and Felix let out a genuine grin. Trying her best to push Felix back once again, she was exerting more force on the blade.

"With a natural talent," Felix complimented, pulling off his attack, and as soon as he did, Lilith was sent face first into the ground. She tried to maintain her balance, but the release of the force was too sudden. She fell on her stomach and let out a small grunt as the wind was knocked out of her. Expecting laughter, or something of the like from the onlookers, she was a little happy that they were cheering.

Another thing that she wasn't expecting was an offered hand of Felix.

"Good job holding your own," he complimented again.

"Nibs helped me get the basics down," Lilith admitted truthfully, grabbing the hand. Felix hauled her to her feet without much effort. She was surprised by the brute strength that he possessed, but decided not to comment on it. She released his hand and wiped her sweaty palms off once again.

"He's a great teacher," she shared some of her credit.

Felix looked over at Nibs and nodded. The boy nodded back at the teenager before walking off into the forest. Lilith was confused at the exchange, and didn't expect for Felix to smirk darkly over at her, "Consider yourself graduated from basic training," he said, handing the girl her sword.

Lilith who thought they were done for the day, was surprised when he tossed her weapon at her. She barely managed to catch it with her left hand, and looked up just in time for Felix to charge at her. Letting out a gasp of surprise she blocked it with shaking arms.

Felix leaned his body closer to hers, "I'll be your teacher from now on, Lily," he cheekily said.

"Splendid…" Lilith trailed sarcastically, trying to hold her own.

The scene seemed normal, and she didn't bother to correct the teenager in front of her that her name was Lilith. It was strange for the girl, but at the same time, she wanted to be accepted by the Lost Ones that were around her. Because without her knowing it, this place was soon resembling a home – despite the deadly sword practices that were taking place every single day.

 **To be continued…**


	8. The flower and the demon

**A/N: Another update, another dollar! Oh wait, no, that's not how it works.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

The faster we're falling,  
We're stopping and stalling.  
We're running in circles again  
Just as things we're looking up  
You said it wasn't good enough.  
But still we're trying one more time.

~Sum 41 "In Too Deep"

* * *

Ch. 8: The flower and the demon

 **(Present)**

Tiger Lily didn't do much of anything except for sit on the large log. She thought of many possible escape attempts, but none of them would work. Plus, she had to add in Henry in her escape plans, which brought up the failure rate significantly. Nothing against the kid, he held a light that shined too bright for his own good.

Maybe that's why Pan had wanted him – the heart of the truest believer.

She leaned against the log, knowing that she wouldn't be able to sleep willingly while at the camp. She knew that all of the Lost Boys that she had first encountered were mostly dead. Either she had killed them herself, or they died trying to find her. Narrowing her eyes at the stars, she couldn't help but think that the boys were better off dead than under Pan's influence.

Henry was sleeping on the ground next to the log, and Tiger Lily knew that she was going to succumb to exhaustion soon enough. If not tonight, then perhaps the night after that one. Then Pan could do whatever he pleased while she was asleep, and she would not let that happen.

The stars never changed, but at least that's something that Pan couldn't control about Neverland. He could change the days and nights at will – but the stars remained constant. Letting out a small sigh, she ran a hand through her messy hair. She realized that they were unbraided after the two days that she had been at the camp.

To her, it seemed to be an eternity.

Who was really to say how many days _had_ passed?

She sat up, parting her hair to two sides as she began to work on the braids. She had left her Indian tribe in search of Tinkerbell. It was their once a year meeting where they would trade and help each other out. Multiple times she would ask the ex-fairy to stay with them at camp, but she refused every single time. Tiger understood why, Pan had kept a strict keen eye on her.

She had reached the end of the last braid, and she laid back down on the log.

Letting out another sigh she tried to stop thinking about the Indian camp that she had called home. Water Lily in particular. She was the younger sister that she never had but had always wanted. When the village chief decided to name his daughter after her, she had flat out denied it. She knew that Pan had picked out that name, and she didn't want to submit anyone to the torture that she had to deal with. The Village chief was adamant about the name, however, and decided to name his daughter 'Water Lily'.

Tears started to gather in her eyes, and she wanted to wipe them away. Being weak in Pan's territory was a terrible decision. She missed home, and she wanted to go back to her second family. Surely they would send out a troop for her, and that's why the teen girl was so upset. She didn't want Water Lily anywhere near Pan, or his pack of savages. She sat up again, becoming restless about the topic. She knew that Andrew was still alive, and she wanted to see him again so desperately.

She was torn between her biological family, and her Indian one.

Even if her brother had left her in Neverland and had lived without her.

Even if she had gone to Neverland to save him in the _first_ place.

Her fingernails dug into the log underneath her from anger, but then she shook off the feeling. She had never in her life blamed her brother for her actions. She had chosen to yell out to the shadow to take her all by herself, and she had to deal with the consequences.

Besides, this was the effect of whatever Pan had done to her. She was starting to see her brother in a different light, despite what she knew deep in her heart. Blaming her brother was never something that was in her mind, and now that Pan was playing around with her emotions, it was unsafe as ever to remain anywhere near him.

Changing topics in her head, she thought back to her brother and the small group of adults that he was traveling with. The need to see him grew stronger with each passing second, and she let a sob escape from her throat. She shook her head, telling herself inwardly to knock it off, but found that another sob escaped from her again. Her shoulders raised when she inhaled quickly, and before she knew it a few tears had escaped her eyes.

Even if Pan had let her stay awake without drugging her or physically exhausting her to her limit, he still left her alone with her thoughts.

And that was even crueler that she could have imagined.

Henry tossed in his sleep, sending her clouded gaze over to him. He trembled in his sleep, and she wondered if he was having a nightmare. Her hand subconsciously found the top of his head, and she rubbed it affectionately.

He was just a kid, younger that she was when she first came to Neverland.

It then occurred to her that she was still a kid herself. Her life was stolen by Pan and it killed her on the inside. She wasn't allowed to grow up, and she wasn't allowed to live her life. And to face reality, she would never get off Neverland and back to London again.

Letting out a shaky sigh, she shook her head and placed her head in her hands. It was a long night, and she wondered how long it would be until Pan decided to wake up the Lost Boys. It had been night here for at least the past eight weeks. What she wouldn't give for a little sunlight. Anything to warm her spirits; physically and mentally.

Neverland was like a never ending nightmare, and she wanted to see the sun.

She _needed_ to see the sun.

"You make the most adorable faces," Pan complimented, his voice coming from in front of her. Tiger's body tensed and she slowly looked up at him with a heated glare.

"Not too keen on that one, to be honest," he stated, walking over to the sleep deprived girl.

"Back off," Tiger mumbled out in warning, stiffly standing to her feet. She had meant to growl it out, but she hadn't recovered from the night's events. She wobbled a little, about to fall onto the ground had Pan not caught her elbow in his hand.

Immediately his cold darkness began to seep into her body.

It frightened her, and she began to pull away from the teen.

He knew she couldn't fight him off. She clicked her tongue inside of her mouth; she had left herself exhausted watching over Henry. It was foolish of her, and she reprimanded herself mentally.

Surprisingly, he let her stand up on her own. His vacant gaze fell on her cold, distant eyes. They stared into each other's eyes for a few moments before Tiger narrowed hers.

" _What_?" She snapped, not in the mood to play his mind games. She was running on empty and knew that she didn't have the patience nor the energy to deal with him.

"It's been a long time, Lil," Pan stated the obvious, and Tiger let out a glare in response, "Where was it that you were hiding?" He asked, taking a few steps closer to the girl. Tiger remained her ground and didn't take any steps back; she was too emotionally drained to be cautious of the teenager.

She was tired.

Tired of running - of Neverland.

She just wanted to see her family.

Tiger watched Pan's advancement with an unfearful stare, "You should already know that I would never tell you," she stated in a straight tone.

Pan tilted his head and let out a disappointed shake of his head, "Save your theatrics," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "I know that you're collaborating with the natives," he stated, glancing down towards the girl's body with a taunting smirk, "As if it weren't already obvious…" He muttered sarcastically.

"What I've said before still stands," Tiger growled out, not liking the sarcasm of the immortal teenager in front of her. "Maybe I should say it slower?" She taunted, making Pan look at her with a look of adoration, "I. Would. _Never_ ," she stated, taking a step towards the teenager challengingly, "Tell. You," she finished out, not once looking away from his gaze.

" _Willingly_ ," Pan added as an afterthought.

Tiger took in this information and then suddenly paled. Pan instantly let out a triumphant smirk at that reaction. It was the exact one he was looking for. His Tiger Lily may appear tough, but she had a weakness.

Protecting her loved ones.

"What…" Tiger trailed, falling to her knees.

"Perhaps you didn't hear me correctly?" Pan taunted, bending down towards his favorite person on all of Neverland. Her fearful eyes met his, "I should say it a bit slower," he grabbed her chin delicately, fully knowing that he held her undivided attention. "Will-ing-ly," he pronounced, a deviously placed grin on his face the entire time.

Tiger shook her head at first, slowly and stiffly, and then it escalated to quick shakes. Pan let go of her and stood up. "No…" She muttered out, choosing to look at the ground, rather than Pan's smug face. "I won't tell you the location. I won't."

Pan let out a small dark chuckle, "Tell me everything that you cherish, Lil…" He stated in a soft voice that Tiger looked up at him. Under any other context, it might have sounded as if he cared about her. But she knew better – he was nothing but a murderer who just wanted her to be alone and reliant on him.

"Give me the pleasure of taking it away," he promised, placing a hand on her hair. He gathered a loose lock of hair and held it in his hands, "When you have nothing left, you'll come running back to me."

"Pan! Father and son met up!" Felix yelled from outside the campsite. Pan stared into the girl's eyes. She was completely terrified and frozen that her family could be taken away from her for a second time. He liked that look on her, it showed that he was still the dominant one; that she still feared him. She should rightfully be so.

Peter Pan was the 'King of Neverland'.

Nobody said that he was a _kind_ king.

Pan released her hair and settled a hand on her shoulder in a tight grip. The force he was using made her flinch and look up at him. The terrified look on her eyes made the teenager amused. She noticed his eyes for the first time in their conversation, a creeping dark obsession in them, and she quickly looked away.

"We'll continue this later," Pan promised, letting go of his queen as he vanished.

Tiger could only stare at the camp fire that wasn't lit up, even though it was night.

Henry had finally woken up as he let out a tired grown and looked around sleepily. When his eyes landed on her, he let out a small smile. She wasn't looking at him. Her thoughts going wild, and her body was completely numb.

He couldn't make her tell him.

He couldn't take away her family again.

She couldn't be alone with Pan.

Because if she was alone with him, then he would continue where they left off in their 'relationship.' And if that was the case, then she would sooner die than be victim to what he wanted.

She needed to get out of here.

She needed to get out of here fast.

* * *

 **(Past)**

A week had gone by, and Lilith was getting faster and quicker with a sword. Felix was a great teacher, even if with every attack he swung he meant to kill you. She hadn't seen Pan in two weeks, and she was happy about that. No one would say about where he had gone, and maybe he had disappeared for good.

Nibs and Tootles had been close to her and she thought of them as brothers. They helped give her a tour of Neverland; at least around the camp and down to the beach. For the first time in her life, she wasn't weighed down by responsibility.

She didn't need to act like a lady, she didn't need to watch after…after _who_ again?

She found her memory had some gaping holes. She knew she had a father, but she forgot what he looked like. For some reason, she dreamed about a boy she didn't remember meeting. In the dream he called her 'Lil' so she assumed they were close although, something seemed off.

"Pan, welcome back!" Nibs yelled out with a cheery tone.

"Good to _be_ back, Nibs," Pan responded with a smirk.

Lilith was polishing her sword and decided to look up. Pan was being encompassed by all of the people in camp. She felt as if she should go over there and welcome him back as well. She decided against it, she didn't know him that well as she knew the rest. Cheering and laughter made her go back to polishing her sword. She had nicked David in the arm with it just yesterday, and it still had a small amount of blood on it.

She had known everyone's names, and they all knew who she was. Even if she was adamant about being called Lilith, though she couldn't remember why, they decided to call her Tiger Lily. Nibs, Tootles, and Felix called her 'Lil' though. She didn't mind that all too much. It reminded her of a family, and she liked the idea of a family.

Suddenly a flash of a town that she had never seen before flashed in her mind. She placed a hand up to her forehead, letting out a sharp exhale. Pain trickled through her head, it was screaming at her that she should remember this place.

She didn't.

But she should have.

Pan walked over to her with a smirk on his face, "Miss me?"

"About this much," Lilith responded lazily, making a small space with her index finger and thumb. Pan examined the action before a sly smirk appeared on his face.

"Ah, so you _did_ miss me," Pan tweaked her sarcasm into something he could work with. She rolled her eyes and stood up, swinging her sword to the side of her. "Felix and Nibs have been working with you, haven't they?"

Lilith shrugged, "Not like you were around to see it," she muttered, looking up at him. She wanted to know where he went, it was as if everyone was keeping quiet about it. As if it were some big secret. Pan let out a chuckle and placed his hand on her shoulder. She felt a coldness, but she didn't move to brush it off like she normally would have in the past.

Pan rose his eyebrows, "I'm back now," he commented, "Had to run a few errands," he stated with a small shrug on his own shoulders. "But now that I'm home, I would like to have a formal welcoming party for you, Lil."

"Me?" Lilith inquired with confusion, "Why?"

"You're our newest Lost One of course!" Pan stated as if it were obvious. Lilith glanced at the ground for a few seconds before she nodded. That made sense, she had been here for about two weeks and was close with everyone in the camp.

The teen boy let out a nod as well, "Maybe tomorrow you could show me your skills with a sword?" He asked, walking away from his newest project. It had all been too easy for his Lost Ones to gain her trust. It sped things up with him away, making Lilith open up thinking it was safe. Now that she's been in Neverland for two months, she forgot about who she used to be. He smirked sadistically, it was all practically too easy.

Lilith watched as her leader left to talk to Felix. She hadn't seen Pan in two weeks and she wondered if he was trustworthy. A small voice lectured her, telling her not to be silly. That he was her older brother now. That they were family. The image of a man and a young boy she had no recollection of flashed in her mind. Another pain jolted through her, and she let out a shaky exhale.

No, something was wrong.

She always trusted her instincts, and right now they were screaming at her not to trust Pan. The musical note that used to play in her mind had died, and now dodging and attacking had been like second nature. Maybe that's why she felt so strange towards him. She gripped the handle of her blade, knowing to watch her back.

Something wicked was up with Pan.

* * *

 **(Present)**

"Arm wrestling?" Henry asked with a raised eyebrow. Pan merely smiled, as if encouraging the boy to play in their barbaric games.

"No thanks," he flat out declined.

Tiger nodded, agreeing to the boy's decision, "Henry doesn't want to be associated with your little savages," she muttered, however, Pan had heard it. He cocked his head with a tight smirk on his face, his eyebrows furrowing in mock confusion.

"As I recall, didn't you _join_ our little group?" Pan asked rhetorically, making Tiger's eyes widen.

"That was…" Tiger trailed, "Different," she muttered, looking down at the ground. She felt ashamed and she didn't know why. She had nothing to be abashed about - absolutely nothing. Being young and naïve was one thing, but being completely brainwashed to be loyal to Pan was another. She clenched her hands tightly, and narrowed her eyes.

Pan stood up from the ground, ignoring the constant cheering and yelling that was taking place in the background. All of the Lost Boys had been participating in the game of endurance.

"Deep down inside, you know that you're still one of _us_ ," Pan muttered over to the girl. Tiger tensed as she suddenly looked up and stared into his darkly lit eyes. "Don't try to play innocent, you've taken countless lives."

Tiger let out a growl, taking a step towards the teenager. She didn't know what had caused her to act so childishly and why she was acting on only impulse alone. An anger spread through her, and she wanted to make her point known.

"I was _defending_ myself," she argued, glaring at the teen boy. Pan placed his hands in the air in a questioning manner and let out a small smirk. "Defending myself against _you_ is _justifiable_."

"Was it really defending?" Pan asked, placing his hands on his waist, "Or were you looking for an excuse to _hurt_ me?" He asked, making Tiger take a step back. The gravity of the words hitting her hard. "You might have lessened my soldiers, but you also offed your entire family," he added, making the girl flinch back.

"They…" Tiger Lily mumbled, shaking her head, "I…" She whispered, her body completely trembling. Henry noticed her discomfort and placed his hand within hers. At the warmness resonating from her hand, she glanced down with wide eyes.

She had never needed to be comforted. She knew the severity of what she had done. Not only was she going to Hell when she died, but she was going to be there with Pan of all people. They were bounded for eternity, she knew that much.

That wasn't the worst bit of it all…if she saw her old Neverland family, would they forgive her?

Henry gave her hand a small squeeze, drawing the girl from her thoughts, "Stop trying to make Tiger Lily a villain, Pan!" Henry argued with a stern glare on his face. "We all know who's to blame for this entire mess."

Pan looked at Henry with a small amount of interest, "Ah, so you think _I'm_ the _villain_ , do you?" He asked with a broad smile on his face. He arched his back and laughed up to the sky. After a few moments, he looked back down at the boy, "How modest," he responded, reaching a hand over towards where Henry was.

He didn't get very far when he found that his hand had been slapped back.

"Don't," Tiger hissed out, making Pan dart his eyes over towards her in amusement, "Touch him," she finished coldly. She was sending an icy glare over at the demon teenager, and he could only shake his head as if to wave off her anger.

"I was only going to offer to go a round with him, Lil," Pan defended weakly, making Tiger narrow her eyes at the teen. She looked from one side of his face to the other, yet, she couldn't read it. After all these decades she still couldn't tell if he was lying or not.

"What do you say, Henry?" He asked challengingly, "Want to play?"

Tiger was surprised when Henry accepted with a stern nod. They both then started to walk over to where a tree stump was. The girl slowly sat on her knees, and placed her hands on the ground. She clenched her hands in the dirt and shook her head.

What Henry had said had resonated something within her. A desire to protect, something that she hadn't fully brought to the surface in a long time. Sure, she always felt this way with Water Lily, but that was different. These feelings hadn't been this strong since Andrew and Aleks were still alive.

The girl let out a few tears when suddenly another thing hit her.

If Pan was the villain of the story, then what exactly was she?

She was no hero, she couldn't save anyone. There was no honor in the murders that she had done - the lives that she had taken. Henry believed her to be a heroine, but she was nothing but a savage herself. Looking up, she locked gazes with Pan who merely smirked at her before looking over to where Henry was. She knew that she was as rotten as Pan, and he knew that as well. Half of his darkness was inside of her, and she had a feeling that her heart was turning black.

She couldn't save herself, let alone anyone else.

* * *

 **(Past)**

Lilith sat around the camp fire and watched as the Lost Ones danced around the fire. Pan sat over to her with a bowl of liquid in it. Curious, she glanced down at what he was holding rather than the teenager himself.

"What is that?" She asked right away.

"Ceremonial water," Pan commented with a small shrug, "All of the new recruits drink it," he explained rather quickly yet smoothly. Lilith rose her eyebrow, her urge to not trust him becoming even stronger. "Neverland is our home, and by drinking this, we become one with it."

"It appears to be normal water, Peter…" Lilith said dryly, placing a hand on her chin as she leaned in closer to the bowl.

Pan observed her with wide eyes and then let out a half smirk, "You called me by my first name," he stated, and she let out a small tilt of her head, not understanding where he was going with this.

"You usually refer to me as just 'Pan'," he explained his astonishment at seeing her mild confusion.

Lilith let out a roll of her eyes, "That's your name, isn't it?" She asked sarcastically, "Besides, if you're going to be my big brother, I can't exactly call you by your last name," she clarified, shaking her head. She placed her hand down on her lap. "That would just be rude…" She muttered, looking over at the camp fire.

The boys were saying how lovely the music sounded, but she still hadn't heard it yet.

"Indeed it would," Pan agreed with her, a dark smirk on his lips before it quickly vanished.

"I trust that you'll drink this, Lil," he stated, offering the bowl over to the girl. When she placed her hands out to receive it, his hands purposefully brushed against hers. A surge of coldness invaded her body, and she let out a small shiver. Closing her eyes at the temperature change, she opened them to ask why he was always so cold, but when she looked for the teen, he was gone.

The bowl was in her hands, and she looked down at it. It was the only thing to do, since she couldn't spend the night dancing with the boys. They had been eager to dance due to Pan's long absence. The Lost Ones hadn't danced around the camp fire in two weeks. Her reflection was in the water, and there was a beautiful gleam within the small ripples.

This wasn't just normal water, it had something magical tied in with it.

She looked up and saw the Lost Ones dancing again. Pan was standing to the side and was talking to Felix and Nibs. No one was looking at her, and no one was paying her any attention. There was something mysterious about Pan, and she wanted to know exactly who she was living with. During her time at the camp, she had known about everyone and their backstories; mostly how unloved they all were before arriving at Neverland - all except for Felix and Pan.

Choosing to not partake in the 'ceremonial water' she tossed the water out behind her. It made the soil damp and she placed a few neighboring leaves over the damp soil. She wasn't stupid enough to leave tracks, her father had taught her better than that. She reclaimed her position on the log and looked up just as Pan looked over at her. Lilith then realized what she had thought:

Her father had taught her how to set up traps and how to be stealthy.

But she still couldn't remember what he had looked like.

It was something about this place – something about Neverland. She didn't understand it, but there was magic all around her. Pan was living and breathing proof of that fact. Magic had intrigued her, and she wanted to know more about it.

How did it work?

Where did it come from?

Why could Pan only use it?

Pan was walking over to her log and she looked up at him. He was the biggest secret on Neverland aside from the island itself.

"Did you drink it already?" Pan asked at seeing the empty bowl, "How did it taste?"

"If you're curious to know, you should have tried some yourself," Lilith teased with a small taunting smile on her face. Pan smirked at her and then let out a chuckle at her quick wits.

"I'm curious, Peter," Lilith started, relaxing her body, "Where did you go these past two weeks?"

Pan rose his eyebrows at how slyly she was at getting information. He shook his head, "More than two weeks have passed, Lil," he stated, placing his hands out to his sides. Lilith furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at the teen boy, "It's been two _months_ ," he added.

Lilith felt frozen in place. No, there was no way that she had been here for two months. She had counted two weeks. She placed a hand up to her head, a small pain was forming in the back of her skull. The sun rose and set, and she had become a better fighter in a small amount of time. Surely her hair would have grown out some. She placed a hand behind her head and realized that she still had the same length of hair. It was as if time itself hadn't passed. Her face began to pale.

"…No…" Lilith whispered out, clearly in thought about what was happening to her. The answer immediately came to her quickly; it was magic.

Neverland had magic all around it, sure, but what if just by her being on the island…she couldn't age?

"No one grows old in Neverland," Pan began to explain, but was cut off when Lilith suddenly stood up. She eyed the teenager and then placed a hand out to him. She shook it stiffly, telling him to stop talking. She had already found out that much for herself.

Lilith began to walk away into the forest. She needed time to think and be alone. Pan was about to follow her but then stopped when his eyes landed on the area behind the log. The leaves had been deliberately placed there, and the soil was a little moist. Curious, he walked over to the area and removed the leaves. He found that the water that had been from Deadman's Peak had been dumped rather than taken.

"She doesn't trust me…" He trailed with a playful smirk appearing on his face. " _Smart_ _girl_ ," he muttered, looking to see where she had gone off to.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Tiger was sitting on a log and was observing the arm wrestling competitions that were happening in front of her. It wasn't a surprise to see Felix winning every challenger that had challenged him. Any idiot could have seen that he had bulging muscles on his arms. Letting out a sigh, she felt someone sit down next to her.

"Was it fun?" She asked in a monotone.

"He beat me," Henry answered with a small smile on his face.

"Why are you…?" Tiger stated in confusion, taking note of his emotional condition, " _Happy_ about that?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Henry let out a small shrug as he looked up to the night sky, "Not everything's about winning," he mused out loud. Tiger took in those words immediately. It seemed that Henry was wiser and more intelligent than he let on. If he were a little older, he could give Pan a run for his money.

The boy then let out a small yawn. "A little…tired…" He muttered, immediately falling over on the log.

Tiger stood up, concern all over her face. She quickly scanned the area, looking to blame Pan for using his magic on her friend. However, when she observed how everyone else in the area was asleep as well, she found Pan standing up and looking around. They met gazes, and then there was a barely audible breathing from the bushes.

"I know you're there…Rumple," Pan addressed, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," The Dark One stated as he took a step out from the clearing. Tiger reached down to her utility belt immediately, but found no weapons there. She had forgotten that Pan had taken away all of her weapons so that she wouldn't be able to escape.

Or defend herself against him.

"I see that you've taken more than just my grandson," he stated, making a small glance to the knocked out boys that were around the area. His eyes landed on Tiger, and she glared at him fiercely. "I also see your _toy_ is back in your grasp."

"You-!" Tiger began to yell at him. She was in the middle of lunging at him, much like a wild animal would do to their prey. The Dark One looked up just as Pan froze her in the middle of the air.

"Put me down," she growled out in a serious tone. This man in front of her was the reason why she was still in Pan's hands. If he hadn't gotten in her way, then she would have already been reunited with her brother.

She was going to kill him.

Pan clicked his tongue disapprovingly, "I don't wish to see you get hurt," he spoke, looking back over towards where the trees were. "You are, after all, my family, Rumple," he stated, making Rumple look over at him with a raised eyebrow. The Dark One thought that the teenager was talking about Tiger Lily being hurt by him, not the other way around.

"And speaking of family; you can come out now, Baelfire," he said with amusement.

Tiger felt the blood drain from her face, "Bael…Baelfire…?" She whispered out, almost choking on her own words. Soon enough a figure appeared from the darkness of the trees. Tiger eyed up the man, and Baelfire looked around the area. He decided to not comment on the asleep children, his eyes looking only for his son.

It was when his eyes landed on the frozen form of Tiger Lily did his eyes grow wide.

"L-Lilith?" Baelfire stuttered out. "N-No, you said that you were going to take your shadow and get off of Neverland!" He yelled, not believing that his best friend was still stuck in this hell hole. At the mention of what had happened in the past, Tiger's body slumped in remembrance of what had happened.

"You see, Baelfire, when you get caught breaking my rules…" Pan stated, letting out a small chuckle, "You get punished," he finished, looking over at Tiger with a smirk, "You've noticed, haven't you, Baelfire?" He asked rhetorically.

The man in question gave the teen boy a scathing glare. Pan didn't seem to care how the adult man was feeling towards him, but decided to answer his own question. Pan let out a grin, "She still doesn't have her shadow."

Baelfire quickly came to a conclusion, "You took it…" He muttered in disbelief. He felt horrible. While he had gotten away from Neverland, Lilith was here for another twenty years. "Give. It. Back!" Baelfire demanded, aiming the crossbow that he had on his back to Pan. " _Now_!" He barked.

"Baelfire…" Pan trailed out, as if he were talking to a child.

"It's Neal!" Baelfire yelled with a glare, his finger slowly going down on the trigger of the gun.

* * *

 **(Past)**

Lilith knew that the calming ocean currents did the opposite effect on her. She clenched her fists tightly, lowering her head as she looked out into the distance. The realization that she would never age in Neverland struck a chord within her. There was something hidden within her mind, something that told her that she was forgetting something important.

The waves rolled in on the beach shoreline, and Lilith loosened her hold on her hands. She knew she didn't belong here, she just knew it. Sure, she had adjusted to life immediately, but she still had a beckoning feeling. She was the black sheep here. Maybe it had to do that she was the only girl, Lilith didn't quite know. Her bloodlust and eagerness to fight was starting to get out of hand. Just a few days ago she had almost killed David. She didn't apologize, that wasn't what the Lost Ones did in Neverland.

It was wrong.

She knew it was all wrong.

Lilith placed a hand to her head when a vicious tug started to pull at her brain. It mocked her, taunted, and echoed repeatedly. She had forgotten something incredibly important, and it was demanding her that she should recall it. The sounds from the waves started to intensify. The ruthless water clashing against the shore started to override everything else she was hearing.

"What are you thinking about?" Nibs asked out to her. She however, hadn't heard his voice, but when she felt his rough hand on her shoulder; instincts kicked it. Wasting no time, she brought her hand down to her sword and lashed it behind her with an astounding elegant force. Nibs barely had time to dodge before the sword would have reached his jugular.

"Whoa!" He yelled out, landing on the sand a few feet away.

For those split seconds, all the girl could see was red. Fighting took priority over everything else, and when her eyes landed on the teen boy not much older than her, they softened significantly.

"Nibs?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. "What are you _doing_ out here?" She asked, holding out her arm to help the boy up from his position on the ground.

Nibs scratched his head for a few seconds, trying to calm down the surge of adrenaline that had overtook his body. The boy could have sworn he saw a demon instead of a girl for a split second. He shrugged off the idea, finding it ridiculous. The only demon on the island was Pan himself.

"You just walked away from your party!" Nibs stated as Lilith hauled him to his feet.

"Oh, is that all?" Lilith asked, rolling her eyes. She had a teasing grin on her face, shaking her head in amusement, "Usually when people wander off by themselves…" She trailed, turning around and placing her hands on her waist. The ocean caught her eyesight once again, and she let out a small frown. It wasn't as if Nibs could see it since she had turned away from him, "Most often than not, they wish to be _alone_ ," she stated in a small mumble.

"Lil?" Nibs asked, concerned by her tone. She had softened it considerably, and he started to get worried. She had been outgoing and eager to play for the past two months. Now, Pan showed up, and her demeanor quickly changed. She seemed to be more closed off, and Nibs hoped that she would still open up to him.

After all, Pan asked him to get close to the girl in the first place.

"Are you feeling okay?"

Lilith shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, Nibs," she answered truthfully. The boy rose a curious eyebrow at his friend's behavior and started to walk over to her. When he glanced at her face, he frowned himself. Lilith's face was unreadable; no emotion was placed on her face. All of the Lost Ones knew that if someone had a straight face, danger was just around the corner.

"In Neverland you can never age," she muttered out, eyeing the boy out of the corner of her eyes.

Nibs stiffened, but he nodded to her suspicions, "That's right," he agreed, "This is a place for kids and not a place for adults."

The girl turned to face him, blocking his view of the ocean as she was right in front of him. "What if I _want_ to grow up?" She asked, all seriousness in her voice. Nibs' eyes widened, and he took a step back. The waves crashed against a few sharp rocks causing the water to be propelled upwards. A shadow was accompanied by the torrent of water, and it caused Lilith's face to darken somewhat.

Nibs shook his head, taking in his friend's form. She had become a real warrior since her first arrival in Neverland. He knew better than to engage her in a serious fight. Her aura had turned dark and twisted, and Nibs didn't want any part of that. This job that he was doing for Pan was starting to become too much.

"What's wrong, Nibs?" She hissed out, her hand landing on her sword that was attached to her side. Her fingers trickled on the handle, daring the boy in front of her to make the first move.

"N-Nothing!" Nibs argued weakly, placing his hands up in front of him defensively. It was also a gesture to say that he didn't want to fight. The power hungry girl narrowed her eyes at the boy in front of her, her fingers starting to clench and unclench the handle of her weapon.

"Why are you t-taking this so seriously?" He asked, releasing a nervous chuckle.

"You really think I don't know when I'm being played…?" She asked slowly, letting her accusation set in. As soon as Nibs digested the words, his eyes went wide. He didn't have time to run before the sword was at his throat in less than a second. Nibs' gaze went to the tip of the blade directly, and he tried to not move an inch. If he did, there was no doubt in his mind that he could get nicked by the weapon. "That I wouldn't know when someone was being _fake_ to me?"

Nibs started to tremble, the will to stand was becoming too much, but he had to endure it. If he fell to his knees, he would get impaled by the blade, and then he would die.

He didn't want to die yet!

His gaze traveled from the point of the blade and to the eyes of the one who was holding it. "Let's be reasonable!" He pleaded weakly, and his desperate attempt to settle things peacefully made Lilith chuckle.

She shook her head, finding his actions mildly amusing. This was past talking things out and settling things in a pacifist manner. Neverland was a savage land and savage people inhabited the magical island. Yet, here was a Lost One himself begging not to die. If Lilith didn't find it amusing, she would have found it pathetic.

"Reporting to Pan about what I've done these past few months?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at the boy. "Don't think I didn't see you conversing with him."

"It's not like that, Lil, I swear!" Nibs squeaked out, but before he could say anything else the blade was pushed more against his throat. The boy's blood ran cold when he felt hot liquid fall down his neck.

She had just _cut_ him!

And what was more, she was probably going to _kill_ him!

It wasn't as if she didn't know how to kill, Felix had taught her how to kill right away. He just didn't think that she would kill him of all people.

"Then what is it, Nibs?" Lilith asked, taking a few steps closer to the boy. The grip on the handle of her sword loosened a small amount. Nibs could see that she was starting to become more relaxed, and he hoped that she had changed her mind about ending him. Nibs couldn't say anything that would help him in this situation.

"Tell you what, Nibs…" Lilith trailed in a soft tone, Nibs looked up slowly to meet her gaze. Slowly, yet reluctantly he stared into those unrelenting orbs of hers. He should have known by the dangerous sparkle in them that what she was going to say was going to hurt him far worse than any injury.

"Tell me how to get off Neverland, and I'll let you live."

Nibs took in what she said for a few seconds before he rose his eyebrows in confusion, "…What?" He asked dryly, and she glared at the boy before tightening her hold on the handle of her weapon. The cut became deeper, and the boy let out a flinch of pain.

"Okay! You want to know how to leave?!" He yelled, making the girl tilt her head, anxiously waiting his answer. He darted his eyes to the left, and then he let out a smirk.

Before Lilith could understand what was happening, the sword flew out of her grip. The girl let out a gasp of surprise before being pushed away from Nibs by an unseen force. Lilith was caught off balance, but before she could right herself, a frim cold hand latched onto her arm. Nibs, who was now out of danger, placed a hand to his throat to assess the damage. When he released his hand, he found that the cut was deep, but not deep enough to leave a scar.

"What's this I hear about leaving Neverland?" Pan's voice came from behind Lilith. The girl didn't need to hear his voice to know it was him. Just the blatant display of magic in front of her was enough. That, and his cold darkness that seemed to accompany his touch.

Lilith broke away from Pan by brute force, yanking her arm from his stern grip. The King of Neverland himself was floating a few inches off the ground. He had that triumphant smirk on his face that Lilith had already learned to detest.

"There's a way off this island, I know for a fact," she stated, taking a few steps away from him.

Pan rose his eyebrows at that, "Hmm, I suppose," he answered cryptically. A mocking smirk was now on his face, and the girl studied his face for a few seconds before she frowned.

"But you're missing one crucial part, Lil," he drawled out, drawing the girl in.

"And what's that?" She asked, mocking him with how articulate she spoke the words.

"My permission," he answered in the same tone, his feet landing on the ground with his hands on his waist. The girl looked at him for a few seconds before she turned away with a roll of her eyes.

"I can see that you don't believe me," he replied, his words coming out quickly.

Lilith scanned the area for her weapon and couldn't seem to find it. She tried to ignore what Pan was saying to her, it wasn't as if she didn't believe what he said about the island in the first place. She didn't need permission to leave a place, the idea was simply idiotic. If she wanted to leave, then she could. A teenage boy wasn't going to stand in her way.

"You're welcome to try and leave, Lil, but you should know that I'll never give _you_ my permission."

The girl turned around and scowled at the teenager, "You really…" She trailed, and stopped talking when her eyes landed on her sword that was suddenly in Pan's hand. All insults about how childish he was acting disappeared from her mind.

Instead, the only thing she found circling through her head was the desire to fight him.

"Give that back," she stated, not amused that he was playing a trick on her. She took a few steps to retrieve it, but then it vanished from his hand. She looked around where he was, but found no trace of the weapon.

"And why would you want to leave in the first place?" Pan asked walking over to the girl. Lilith watched him carefully with her eyes, observing what he would do. Planning all possible counter attacks to a quick assault on her. When he placed his hands behind his back innocently, she took a step back.

No, she was used to people attacking her, whether it was play or not, she was used to violence.

He was going to use a different form of attack - a verbal attack.

He was going to use words as weapons.

"You would go back to that fake little life in a fake little town with, oh of course," Pan stated out, smirking when he found the confusion on her face, "Fake little people."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lilith spat out, glaring up at the teenager challengingly. She didn't miss the sadistic pleasure that flashed in his eyes. "But I know that I have a life somewhere else."

Pan let out a dark chuckle, standing directly in front of the girl, "And what life is that?" He asked, "Do you even know what your stupid little town looks like anymore?" He mocked, making her frown. She opened up her mouth to argue, but found that she couldn't bring a picture up.

Did she even live in a town?

Was it a small town or a big town?

Come to think of it, what exactly _was_ a town?

"The family that you left behind?" He asked, placing his hands on her shoulders. He knew what effect he was having on the girl. She was questioning everything he was saying, and in turn, she was forgetting what was making her 'Lilith' to begin with.

The father that she strived to remember, or maybe it was the brother that she had forgotten completely?

Pan let out a smirk, although he doubt that Lilith could even see him while she was caught up in her thoughts.

"Or…is it the unhappiness that you felt before?" Pan asked out, making her look down at the sand that was beneath their feet. The waves had quieted down, and the teen boy let out a smirk knowing that he had won their little game.

"Here, you have a family," he said, watching as she looked up at him in confusion. "Tell me honestly, Lil," Pan coaxed his voice to sound gentle. His fingers seemed to dig into the girl's shoulders, and she let out a flinch of pain. "What is bothering you?" He asked, his soft voice immediately turning dark.

Nibs watched from a safe distance away at the magic that Pan was doing. He was making her tell him about what was on her mind. Watching how her body had dropped to the ground, with him still holding her shoulder's tightly, a scenario came to mind; a snake snatching its prey within its grasp.

Pan had his pet in his grasp, and he didn't plan to let go any time soon.

The boy let out a shudder, still holding his hand to his throat. He knew that Pan was evil, and so he didn't want to get on his bad side. He did everything that his leader told him to without question because if he didn't…he would be in Lilith's position right now.

"You scare me," Lilith admitted in an emotionless voice. Pan's smirk only increased from that statement, and he nodded his head, telling her to continue, "I keep having visions of this place that I don't remember, and a man who's starting to become less detailed as the days continue."

"Forget all of that," Pan ordered, and instead of Nibs seeing the fighting spirit that was inside of Lilith, she merely nodded in agreement, "What else, Lil? Is there anything that you've been keeping a secret?"

She opened up her mouth to speak, but then closed it. A few seconds passed, but she opened it once again. "I heard this music note at the beginning, but it's gone now," she admitted, and then she looked up into the eyes of Pan. He noticed how glazed over they were, and he couldn't help but think that if she hadn't felt completely lost, then he wouldn't be able to take control over her mind. "I didn't drink the water."

Pan let out a chuckle, and released his hold on her shoulders. He placed his hands on her face, both of them on her cheeks, "Yes, I know that, Lil," he said with a smirk. He then stood up, and as soon as he did, Lilith passed out onto the sand. Her head landed gently on the grains, but a wind howled out over Neverland.

Nibs quickly darted his eyes over to Pan with wide eyes. Pan glared over at the teen boy who was looking at him fearfully.

"I swear, I thought everything was going according to plan!" Nibs yelled out, placing his hands out in front of him. One of his hands was covered in blood, and Pan let out a chuckle. Another cold gust of wind overcame the island.

"And here she was about to run…" Pan trailed out, bluntly saying the flaw to Nibs' tactics, "You're weak, Nibs," he said with a glare. He raised his hand, it was illuminating a black energy, "I have no need for the _weak_ on my island," he stated, a playful smile dancing on his lips.

Nibs tried to scoot away from Pan as best he could, but he knew it was futile to fight against Pan. The demon child wasted no time in snapping his hand, the dark energy coming out in a wave. As soon as it spread across Nibs, he vanished without a trace. All that was left of him was a black shadow, who looked up at Pan. The teenager didn't even need to say anything before a large shadow appeared over the area. Nibs' shadow looked up at the larger one and let out a shriek before it was absorbed into the larger being.

Pan didn't let out any emotion before he turned around and looked at his pet. She was still soundly sleeping, no doubt that his magic had made her exhausted. He let out a smirk and walked over to where she was before bending down on the sand next to the girl. "Now that I have all the information I need, I can focus all my efforts on you," he whispered, a dark obsessive tone lingering in his voice. He placed his hand on her forehead, and she let out a shudder at the cold darkness seeping into her body.

"You will be my greatest trophy yet, Lil," he promised, grabbing her body in his arms and lifting her up.

 **To be continued…**


	9. Never have I ever trusted Pan

**A/N: Usually my chapter are at least 7k words, but uh, this one's a little short for some reason. Sorry about that, I don't know what happened. Must have been an error on my part (obviously) because I don't know how to count.**

 **Also, if you haven't seen The Devil's Carnival, you really should. It's a musical. Who doesn't love a good musical?**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

So trust me, trust me  
Darling dear  
I'm so sincere  
There's no need to tear  
Trust me, trust me  
Honey, do  
Just like _I_ trust _you_

~The Devil's Carnival "Trust Me"

* * *

Ch.9: Never have I ever trusted Pan (take a drink)

 **(Present)**

Tiger could only stop and stare when Pan reached out his arm to catch the arrow skillfully with his hand. The teenager raised his eyebrows at the grown man who slowly brought down his cross bow to his side. "New Baelfire, same old tricks…" Pan muttered in amusement. He went to move his body, but found out that he was stuck. His face furrowed in confusion for only a split second, and in that small amount of time, his focus on suspending Tiger in the air slipped.

She fell to the ground, but not before doing a dodge roll and landing on one knee. The girl looked up murderously at the Dark One that got in her way once before. It would be all too simple and easy to kill the man in front of her. Before she could charge at the man ruthlessly, Baelfire ran over to his friend and embraced her in a tight hug.

Even though she wasn't the one who was exposed to Dreamshade, she still felt frozen. His strong arms wrapped around her thin, yet built up body. Physical contact like this she wasn't used to. No one had hugged her since he had twenty years ago.

"I've missed you so much, Lilith," he stated in a gentle tone. Her eyes went wide, and she couldn't believe that that name had been spoken from someone's lips. She hadn't gone by that name in a _very_ long time. "Why did you let me go first? We could have found a solution so that the two of us could have gone together."

"As if I would have _allowed_ that," Pan seethed out. The teenager's body was shaking, and if he had full range of his body, there was no doubt in Tiger's mind that he would have killed Baelfire right on the spot. Speaking of the man, who now went by Neal, he was another unexpected factor. She needed to make sure that he survived no matter what the cost.

He is, and always will be, her most precious friend. Neal pulled away from the girl and let out a small friendly smile. She was speechless – of all the people who she thought she would have never seen or heard from again, Baelfire was one of them.

This was unexpected.

"I hate to say anything, but we should really be going," Rumple stated out dryly as he picked up Henry from the ground by the boy's waist. "This won't hold him for long," he added, already walking away from the area. Neal nodded at that, and turned towards the woods slowly. He placed his hand down towards Tiger and turned his head to glance at her.

"I wouldn't let your dear old father hold onto your son, Baelfire," Pan stated. Neal, along with Tiger glanced over to where Pan was. "Henry is the only thing stopping _dear_ _old_ _dad_ from obtaining ultimate power…" He trailed ominously.

Rumple glared over at Pan, who gave his own son a triumphant smirk back. The seeds of doubt have been planted, and now all the teenager had to do was wait for Rumple and Baelfire to separate. It would be all too easy to off Baelfire without anyone to protect him.

"Come on, Lilith," Neal stated, making Tiger quickly grab Neal's hand, and he hauled her to her feet effortlessly. It was different than it was back then, considering he was taller than his sister now. "Hey, you know, you don't look a day over fourteen!" He yelled, still holding her hand as they started to leave the area, "I'll bet dermatologists hate you!" He chided, a cheeky joking grin on his face.

Tiger couldn't help but release a forced dry chuckle at his attempt at light humor. Although, she had no idea what a dermatologist was.

* * *

 **(Past)**

Lilith woke up in a hammock that was next to Tootles. The boy was sleeping soundly, a small snore escaping him every few seconds. Watching his chest lift up and then down, she looked up at the ceiling of the large tent. The girl sat up, and heard the familiar snores of the Lost Ones that were in her tent. Everything should have seemed fine to her.

Yet, something was off.

Something alerted her to her left, and she noticed an empty hammock. It was swaying in the wind, as if lost in time and abandoned by someone who should have been there.

"Has that always been empty?" She wondered out loud, a raised eyebrow on her face. She decided to sit up to where her feet were dangling over the side of the net. A small swaying motion started to happen, and she couldn't help but feel that she was forgetting something. Instinctively, she reached down to where her sword was, and found it on her body.

No, she still had her sword.

She jumped down from the hammock and landed skillfully on the ground. Her hand was still around the handle of her sword, and she decided to let it rest there. Peter had come back from wherever he was, and now everything was okay.

But it wasn't, and the girl didn't know why.

Letting out a long exhale from her nose, she pulled open the tent flap and let it drop carelessly behind her. She doubted that the boys, who were in a deep sleep, would wake from that small noise.

"On a walk?" Asked Pan's voice from beside her suddenly.

She wasted no time drawing out her sword and pointing it at the immortal teenager. He didn't move to back away and instead let the tip of the sword scratch his face. A small trickle of blood escaped from his wound, and he wiped it away calmly, not caring that he had a sword directed at his face.

"Peter…" She trailed, placing her sword to her side slowly.

"What troubles you, Lil?" Pan asked, walking closer to the girl.

"Nothing," she said, shrugging her shoulders. She placed her weapon in its holster and decided to walk a few steps forward. "I think there's one less," she muttered, looking up at the sky filled with stars.

Pan raised his eyebrows, surprised that she would remember Nibs at all. His shadow had been swallowed up, and as a result, his entire memories were gone. That should have affected everyone that Nibs ever knew, and yet, Lilith somehow remembered him.

She faintly remembered him, but that was an amazing accomplishment in itself.

He expected nothing less considering who her mother was.

"What makes you say that?" He asked, placing his hand on her shoulder.

He watched how she stiffened up at his touch. No doubt from the cold darkness that he was purely composed of. "I don't know," she stated, "I think his name was Nibs…" She trailed, looking over to where Peter was. His face didn't express what he was truly feeling inside. He was definitely intrigued by her self-perseverance towards remembering the forgotten.

He remembered another from a different time that had the same trait – it wasn't a surprise that Lilith would have also acquired it as well.

"Did we ever have a boy named Nibs?" She asked, raising her eyebrows up at him.

It was then that he noticed how trusting she was of him. As if she hadn't questioned him at all the night before on the beach. Or that she wanted to leave and return home suddenly.

He let out a smirk, "Lil, maybe you trained with Felix too hard?" He suggested, his tone transitioning into a teasing one.

From what he said, he watched as the effect was instant. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and shook her head. Lilith looked at the ground, not knowing what to think anymore. Her heart remembered one thing – but her mind couldn't possibly come up with an explanation.

"I don't think I did," she mumbled. It wasn't as if she had a headache or anything like that. Pan wouldn't expect her to. Shadow magic was the strongest magic on Neverland. "I just…I'm confused," she ushered towards him.

Her eyes were looking at him for advice - for guidance.

She was lost.

And he let out a 'comforting' grin. Placing his arm around her shoulder, he knew that she would listen to anything he said. And the way things were going, he would have her eating out of the palm of his hand if he so desired her to.

"It's alright, Lil, I'm here," he stated, bringing her form closer to him. Her hand drifted down to her sword handle, threatening him that she would use it on a whim if she suspected any malevolence from him. It stopped a few inches from the sword, however, and his grin contorted into a sinister smirk.

She was going to be his. She was going to be his first official Lost Girl. She would stay on this island because she would _want_ to.

It was almost _too_ perfect.

His smirk fell when he started to realize that he was still dying. He would only have to wait for the heart of the truest believer; that was what that witch had told him. Still, Peter Pan wasn't the most patient immortal teenager in the world.

It was a good thing that he had another idea, and Lilith was just the girl to test the theory out on.

It wasn't as if love was _that_ hard to fake.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Tiger kept her gaze on Rumple from out of the corner of her eyes. She didn't trust him at all, and she had no idea why Neal thought it was a good idea to rely on him. Especially with what Pan had said to them about what Rumple wanted to do with Henry.

It always seemed to revolve around Henry.

Either Rumple wanted to use him, or Pan did.

She felt sorry for the kid – he was caught up between two different battles. And even though she knew that Pan was a heartless bastard, she didn't know who Henry would be safer around. At least she knew Pan, she didn't know the Dark One, and judging from their encounter earlier, she didn't want to. He had no problem taking lives just to take them.

At least Pan would only take lives when he was angry.

"Here," Neal stated, handing her a sword. Being pulled from her thoughts, she looked up at him with a blank expression, as if silently asking what it was for. "I know how you don't like _not_ having a weapon on you," he chided, grinning ear to ear.

She blinked slowly, wondering why Baelfire hung onto those memories of her after those decades. He should have let her go and never returned to this place. The only thing that awaited anyone on this island was pain and misery.

"Uh, are you so sure you want to hand a savage a weapon?" Rumple asked cautiously from across the clearing.

" _Don't_ address her that way," Neal argued, narrowing his eyes at his father.

Tiger stood up from where she was sitting and took the weapon in her hands, "It's fine, Neal," she stated, examining the maltreatment of the sword. Whoever had owned it looked to be as if it were sitting and collecting dust. "It's not as if it isn't true."

Neal shook his head and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You're not a villain, Lilith," he stated, looking her in the eyes. He was expecting soft orbs somewhere in those eyes of hers. After a few seconds of staring, it was clear to him.

She had toughened up; toughened up to the extent that she didn't express any happiness at all. He wondered when the last time she had smiled or laughed. To genuinely be happy for once in her life. Although, he knew that if Pan was around, then it might have been impossible.

Not to mention – he wasn't there.

And he _should_ _have_ been.

That thought has been eating at his conscience for a while now.

"I wonder if he gets it from you…" Tiger trailed, looking over at the unconscious form of Henry. Neal drifted his eyes towards his son with a small smile. "That hope," she said, looking down at her sword that she was given. "It's also a weakness."

"Oh, come on, Lil," Neal argued, releasing his hand from her shoulder. "Hope is the only thing that we can truly have."

Tiger stared up into his eyes emotionlessly. "And look exactly where that's got us," she spat out, placing the sword in a spare loop on her utility belt.

"Still in Pan's clutches as if you've never left. Except this time, he has your father, your family…" She trailed, taking a few steps closer to her friend. "All things that he can use against you."

Neal was silent for a few moments before he opened up his mouth with soft eyes, "What happened to you, Lilith?" He asked, "What happened to your hope?"

"Pan smashed it in his hand a long while ago," Tiger stated, looking over at Rumple, who was eyeing the two the whole time. "You're his son," she stated, already coming to a conclusion. Neal looked over at his father with wide eyes. "You should have ended him before he could have escalated," she said, shaking her head.

"A son destroying his father…" Rumple trailed, rolling his eyes, "Somehow I don't see that happening," he spat out, walking a few steps closer to the girl.

Tiger let out a smirk, "That's right, back in the Enchanted Forest you were a coward, weren't you?" She asked, making Rumple narrow his eyes at the teenage girl. A dangerous spark was ignited in both Lilith's eyes, and Rumple's.

"The Rumpelstiltskin who injured himself to be sent home. Prince Leopold may not have been notified, but the rest of his guards were," she hissed out, taking a few more steps towards the man who was looking murderously at the teen. "Gossip traveled quickly – a laughing stock like you was discussed as a long term joke over dinner."

Neal placed his hands out in front of them with a frown on his face, "Whoa, you guys need to stop this _right_ now," he said, shaking his head, "If you want someone to blame, then blame Pan!"

"You still stick up for him?" Tiger asked, looking at Neal from the corner of her eyes. She was a little surprised that he would support his father; the one who left him. The one who never chased after him like a father was supposed to. "Why? He's just your father."

"It's _because_ he's my father!" Neal yelled, making Tiger take a step back. From what she remembered about Baelfire, he never raised his voice at anyone or anything. Rumple took a step forward with his hand raised with a small smile on his face. "But that _doesn't_ mean I trust him," he added, making the smile vanish from Rumple's face.

Tiger crossed her arms, "A wise decision," she commented, making Rumple glare daggers over at the teen girl. It was a silent threat for her to shut her mouth and keep her comments to herself. Tiger wasn't one to back down from a challenge that was being issued, especially from someone like the Dark One. "However, I think that you should stay with him, Neal," she said, already knowing the plan that Neal was forming in his head.

Neal's eyes widened, "Why on Earth should I stay with someone who would get Henry for his own personal gain…" He trailed, shaking his head. "I might not like Pan, but I'm not going to ignore what he said!"

"Bae, it's not like that!" Rumple tried to argue, but Neal would have none of his lies.

"No, papa! _I_ will get Henry home safely," Neal stated, picking up his son and starting to walk out of the area. Tiger stayed behind to look at the Dark One, who seemed to be in utter distress. It seemed to her that the Dark One wasn't getting his way for once. She was silently applauding Neal's actions. This family spelled out nothing but trouble, and Baelfire seemed to have the only good head on his shoulders.

"Lilith!" Neal yelled from a little ways in the woods.

Rumple glanced over at the teenager who was still in the vicinity. "That was for getting in my way," she stated, her hand drifting down to the sword that was attached to her side.

"You knew how my son would react given the right statements…?" Rumple asked, not believing that the girl had only proven to be the catalyst for Neal's outburst. Rumple's hands started to shake, and fire started to illuminate on his hands. "I'm only trying to look out for my family!"

"No," Tiger hissed out, narrowing her eyes. "You're only looking out for yourself," she stated. She started to walk out of the small clearing, " _I'm_ looking out for my family. Unlike you, I chased after mine _immediately_ ," she said, watching how his face contorted to one of mental pain.

Without looking back to see how her words had hurt him, she ventured off after Neal, knowing that leaving him exposed in Neverland by himself wasn't a good idea. He was already going to be targeted by Pan, and with Henry, that only added another target. She clenched her hand around the handle of the sword tightly.

She wouldn't let Pan touch Neal or Henry.

A small spark of hope started to find its way into her chest, and instead of pushing it away like she usually would have, she embraced the small trickle of light. Maybe, just maybe, she would finally be able to get off of this damned island.

This time, she would be getting off with her brothers.

She had to.

* * *

 **(Past)**

Lilith clapped her hands in front of her nervously, "It's called a heart ceremony," she said, looking up into his eyes. She felt her heart skip a few beats. "I'm not sure if it will work, but we can try," she said, a hopeful optimism about her. If she was with Peter Pan, then anything could be possible. She just had to believe.

"I've heard of this before, Lil, and I don't think it will," Peter stated, shaking his head. "And besides, I don't want you to get hurt and – What are you doing!" He yelled, genuinely surprised that she was digging her hand into her chest mercilessly. "Stop, Lil!" He yelled, trying to drag her hand out of her chest.

"This needs to work! What if the heart of the believer doesn't come?" She asked, still digging around inside of her chest. When her hand landed on a beating form she quickly pulled it out. Pan could only look in awe at the still beating heart that appeared in her hand. It had a strange hue to it, and he couldn't tear his eyes away. It was untainted by darkness, and he wondered how long it would stay that way if she were to continue to stay in Neverland.

It wasn't as though he would ever let her leave. No, she was far too valuable to him. He was her pet, he had no official feelings towards her. All he was doing now was acting, knowing that she would subject herself to this ceremony.

It went all according to plan. He knew that the mermaids were down at the cove, and that's why he sent Lilith down there. He wanted her to overhear, he wanted her to initiate to try this. Because she loved him, and he was going to play that as far as he could.

"Okay, you're serious about this," Pan said, placing his own hand over his own chest. He knew it would all come down to this. It was a long shot, but the teenager was tempted to try anything. He reached into his own chest and tore out his heart quickly. It was completely black, not a speck of red was seen on it.

Lilith let out a small gasp at the state his heart was in. It didn't resemble a heart at all – it was cold, and it almost looked dead. "Should we try?" He asked, looking up at her with a smirk.

"Y-Yes…" She trailed, nodding her head. "Half and half," she stated, tugging at one side of her heart. Her eyes started to water, and the pain that was going through her body at that moment was unbearable. It felt as if pins and needles were piercing her heart unrelentingly. One pin after another pin, and she was about to fall from the agony.

"I-I can't-!" She started to yell, and looked up at how Pan was doing.

He had half of his heart already torn apart. Her eyes widened at the sight, he was far too eager for this all, and she started to think about how big of a mistake this all was. Her heart was the only way for her to survive. Without it, she was dead.

How could she have been so blind to leave herself vulnerable like this?

All for the sake of one teenager?

Lilith realized that she completely trusted Peter Pan, and that was her downfall. "Let me help you, my dear," he stated, gripping half of her heart. He gave it a harsh pull, and she dropped to her knees. She couldn't handle the pain, and she looked up at him with tear filled eyes.

Please, why wasn't he stopping?

Did he care that she was in pain?

Did he ever care about her at all?

"There," Pan said, somehow drowning out all of her sobs and whines that she was letting out. Her groans of pain and anguish that flooded out of her mouth weren't even bothering him. "Now we combine," he instructed, fusing half of her heart with his, and half of his heart with hers.

If she thought tearing her heart apart was painful, then refusing it with complete darkness was even worse. She started withering on the ground in pain. Shock waves rang out in her body. The spasms that she couldn't control started making her limbs tremble. The darkness seemed to suffocate her, and she didn't know if she would live through it.

What seemed to be hours of torment, the pain finally stopped, and she slowly looked up at Pan. He was towering over her, placing his hands across his chest. "Well, would you look at that?" He asked, a smirk on his face. "It _did_ work," he instructed, looking over at the hourglass.

Lilith did the same, and noticed that instantly the sand had stopped falling. Her eyes widened, but she couldn't help prevent the feeling of burning on her skin. Pan knelt down beside the girl and started to chuckle at her actions, "And now that I have what I wanted from you, I no longer need to love you, Lil," he hissed out, standing up as soon as he said it.

"But, you can't! I gave my heart to you! I gave everything I had to you!" Lilith yelled, feeling heartbroken that Pan was playing her the entire time. "I loved…!"

"That's your mistake, Tiger Lily," Pan stated, shaking his head down at the girl who was still at the ground. "Betrayal is in my nature," he muttered out, before flying out of Skull Rock with newly fueled magic power.

Lilith curled up her body. The burning of her skin never stopped, and she started to cry. The one thought that passed through her mind was that she wanted to get as far away from Pan and Neverland as she could. She couldn't handle the hurt, and she couldn't handle the pain.

Worst of all, she couldn't handle the betrayal.

Before she knew it, she felt the burning of her skin stop, and instead felt a coldness seep into her skin. She instinctively knew what was happening; she could now use magic. The raw power that she felt running through her veins made her instantly feel sick.

It was too much.

She had no idea what it was like having magic, or even how to control it. Her hands started to light up with a white light, and she let out a short scream of surprise and terror.

How does she control it?

White blasts escaped her palms, damaging the Skull Rock interior. She was afraid that Pan would come back. That the one who she genuinely loved would come back and mock her. She couldn't handle that kind of mental torture on her mind and a thought quickly came to her - she needed to run.

Her hands were enveloped in a white light, and the light began to travel up to her arms. The magic was too overpowering. She needed to go to a place without it, otherwise she wasn't sure she could handle the new power within her.

She thought of someplace that she felt at home at.

Somewhere else other than Neverland.

Anywhere but Neverland.

Before she knew what was happening, her body started to become transparent, and she began to feel weightless. Her magic was strong, but uncontrollable. It was then that a small image came to her mind. A small town that she felt as if she should know. Even if she didn't remember it; her heart remembered it.

It was screaming out to her.

This place was home.

And she let herself be taken there.

The only thing left behind was a few sparkles of white light before she completely vanished from Neverland.

 **To be continued…**


	10. Back in London

**A/N: Another update! This time I meet my 7K quota, so it's all good in the hood. Also, Thomas is fully introduced in this chapter, I know I've mentioned him in the past.**

 **I totally ship Thomas and Lilith together.**

 **As always, thanks for the follows, favorites, and of course the reviews! I'm glad everyone is enjoying it so far!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

Hate to twist your mind  
But God ain't on your side  
An old acquaintance severed  
Burn the world your last endeavor

~A7X "Nightmare"

* * *

Ch. 10: Back in London

 **(Past)**

Before she could blink, Lilith was in front of a building. She took a step back and fell over her feet. Instead of hitting the grassy ground, she hit something hard and unforgiving. A pain shot through her body, and she started to shake.

Suddenly there were all kinds of sounds that invaded her eardrums. Car sounds. People yelling at each other, laughing, sounds that she didn't know existed.

"P-Peter…?" Lilith called out, holding a hand to her beating chest. They had performed the heart ceremony, and the next thing she knew she had ended up here. Her chest was a little sore around her heart, but other than that, she didn't feel much of a difference.

"Peter!" She yelled out, suddenly standing up when there was a small group of people that were walking by. They casted strange glances at her, and she looked around the area. "Felix!" She yelled again, desperate to find any kind of familiarity in this foreign place.

She looked back up at the building when she heard a door being closed. A man that had a well-groomed mustache and was wearing a suit stepped out. His top hat was sturdy on his head, and he was holding a brief case. Lilith placed her hand on a nearby street pole, and watched the man with a steady gaze.

The man, who felt as if someone were watching him, looked up quickly. He made it down the steps and stood a few feet away from her, as if staring her down. Lilith quickly reached down to where a knife would be, prepared to attack the man. What she didn't expect was him running over to her with his eyes wide.

In Neverland, there were never loving acts such as that. She was caught off guard and instead was engulfed by the man's gesture.

"Lilith?" He asked into her ear.

Lilith dropped the knife, she knew that voice. That voice that came from somewhere in the dark corners of her memories. "F-Father…?" She trailed, unsure of her answer. The tightening of his embrace was the only thing that told her she was right.

She hugged back, tears leaking from her eyes.

"I-It's been ten years, Lilith," her father muttered, making the girl's eyes widen with shock. She knew she was in Neverland for a long time. She just didn't imagine that it would have been this long. She should have been twenty-four now.

"Where have you been?" He asked, his voice was shaky. He pulled away and looked at the girl who was dressed weirdly. "Where have you been…?" He asked again, shaking his head.

"Neverland," Lilith answered honestly, "I was-!" She began to say, but then the memory from back in her last moments of Neverland. She had exchanged half of her heart, and Peter had done the same. As soon as he noticed that the sand stopped, he let out a dark chuckle and pushed her away. He told her that she should have expected his betrayal. The teen boy then flew away, leaving the girl behind with a metaphorical broken heart.

Unknowingly to herself, she began to let tears drop out of her eyes. Her father noticed and decided to hug his daughter closer to him. She wept fully into her father's chest, and he decided not to push anymore on the topic. She was here with him now, and that's all he needed. With one final pull, he helped his daughter up the steps.

He wouldn't go into work today.

* * *

 **(Past)**

Eliza wasn't pleased when she saw her husband's long lost daughter return from some unknown location. He had told her it was 'Neverland' but it seemed to her as if it was a bunch of nonsense. She was still the age that she went missing at, and that was another thing that the woman couldn't wrap her head around.

It should have been impossible – and perhaps that's why she hated the young girl even more. She was a living impossibility that shouldn't have existed. Gripping tightly on the handle of her tea cup, she couldn't help but stare at the girl.

"Edward…" Eliza trailed at the dinner table, placing down her eating utensils fully. "Why don't you tell your daughter what we've discussed?" She asked, and Lilith looked up from her own dinner plate. The teen had somewhat adapted back to civilized life, it had taken her a few days to even believe that this wasn't a dream.

After the first night of sitting across her bedroom with her knees up to her chest, and watching the window to make sure a shadow being didn't come though. She began to speculate that maybe she had escaped Neverland, even though she did need Pan's 'permission' to do it in the first place. But if they shared one heart now, shouldn't his powers also be transferred to her?

Although, now that she was free from Neverland, she was trapped back in London. She should have been happy to be back with her father – but so many things had changed while she was away.

She soon found out that there was to be no talking from the children at the dinner table, and that she couldn't slouch in her seat. The silverware had to be placed a certain way, her hair was to be in an up-do at all times. With her father's new wife, there were a lot of rules.

One in particular: don't speak of Neverland.

" _You've_ discussed it, Elizabeth," her father hissed out, shaking his head as he placed down his eating utensils on the table rather viciously. Eliza scowled at that, but only continued to stare unrelentingly at Edward. " _I_ merely listened."

Lilith placed her hands in her lap, not feeling up to eating the luxurious meal in front of her. She was used to eating wild boar, or anything else that had been on Neverland. Ten years she had spent there, and London life was hard for her.

"The psychologist…" Lilith trailed, surprising the adults at the table. Her father looked over at her with a saddened expression, whereas Eliza simply looked appalled that she had discovered their secret. "I was in a place that consisted of learning secrets," Lilith continued, and seeing the scathing glare that was sent her way didn't stop her from her speech. "No matter how much you try to deny it."

Edward let out a sigh and placed his hand on his head, "You need time," he argued, "You were kidnapped and were brought to a place where it was absolutely horrible," he added, shaking his head, giving his wife a glare. "It's a term referred to as culture shock, Eliza!"

"If I may speak," Lilith interrupted her father at the end of his rampage. The adults looked over at her, interested to know what she thought of the situation. Lilith wasn't a fool, she knew she didn't belong in this society…not anymore. Neverland had torn her apart at the seams and rebuilt her from the ground up.

She couldn't go on living in London with an irrational fear of the darkness and windows.

"I think it's an excellent idea," Lilith agreed with Eliza, who seemed shocked at that.

"Lilith…" Her father trailed out, making Lilith shake her head with a tightly forced smile.

"I need the help," Lilith stated out weakly, standing up and throwing her napkin on the table gently, "I have a broken heart, and maybe the doctor will help me through it," she stated, pushing her chair into the table neatly. She looked from Eliza, who seemed confused at the girl in front of her, and then to her father.

"If you will excuse me," she addressed the two of them, doing a small bow and then heading down the hallway towards the stairs.

She couldn't stop the tears that were flowing. Whenever she thought of Neverland, of Peter Pan, she always felt a tug at her heart. He didn't need her. He didn't care for her as much as she grew to care for him. She knew that he had played with her emotions to get her to do the heart ceremony. Running up the stairs and into Andrew's bedroom, she closed the door gently behind her. She slowly began to remember her long lost brother with her father's help.

Sliding down the door, her long dress made a small heap at her feet. It was blue and had a white flower pattern on the fabric. She leaned her head against the door and closed her eyes.

Why had she let him break her heart?

Why did she still hold onto him?

* * *

 **(Past)**

"You're mentioning Neverland less and less, Lilith," the psychologist mentioned when the girl stood up from her chair. She let out a small smile in response. "Has something changed in your life recently? You look positively bright."

Lilith let out a light chuckle, "There's this boy from my childhood…his name is Thomas," she informed rather secretly. The psychologist noticed how her voice raised an octave slightly, and how her face started to redden at the mere mention of the boy's name. It was then that the doctor knew; she was in love. He let out a laugh and shook his head, and waved his hand ushering her to continue.

"He used to give me these orange flowers when I was released from school. You see, he was Andrew's friend at the time. And now…well, something's changed."

The psychologist nodded, "He grew into a man?" He asked, leaning his head on the ton of his hands. She let out a smile in response with a nod, "Women always desire men in their life," he added, "This might have been the perfect solution to the Neverland fix."

"I absolutely agree," Lilith stated, waving the doctor a goodbye, "I must be on my way, Thomas and I have a date tonight," she said, her voice giddy at the thought of spending time alone with the eighteen year old. The psychologist was done with his session with his client anyways, and gave a small wave in return. He was happy for her favorite client. Although, her story of Neverland had definitely intrigued him. Peter Pan with his group of Lost Ones. Mermaids, pixies, under animals…it was all so fascinating. He chuckled to himself when the door closed.

"I never would have suspected that she would have made a full recovery…"

* * *

 **(Past)**

A few weeks had gone by, and Lilith and Thomas were known as a couple throughout the neighborhood of London. He didn't mind that she hadn't aged within the ten years, and she certainly didn't mind that he had. Milkshake dates, art gallery trips, and star gazing were just one of the small activities that they loved to share with one another.

"That one is the north star," Thomas instructed, reading a book on stars just to impress her. Lilith, who was laying down on the grass next to him, looked over at him with a genuine smile.

"You either made that up, or you read about it," Lilith stated, moving onto her side to look at him rather than the stars. The dirty blonde haired boy who used to give her flowers was now her boyfriend. They were absolutely in love with one another. If true love truly did exist, then Lilith and Thomas were a perfect example of it. "Which is it?"

Thomas let out a chuckle, "You decide," he teased, and Lilith let out a small chuckle in response. She turned her body back on her back. Her hand was by her side, and Thomas decided to fill in her hand with his own. The warmth on top of warmth made the two teenagers grin. A small smile crept onto both of their faces.

Lilith pulled her up-do down with a small tug of the pin that was holding it in place. Even though Eliza and she were on better terms, the woman still tried to control her life. It was a good thing that her step mother didn't stop her from seeing Thomas. In fact, Eliza encouraged them dating since Thomas was the heir of a Steamboat business.

"You are by far the strangest man I've ever met," she stated affectionately

"And you are by far the brightest woman I've ever met," Thomas said, sitting up from his position. Lilith rose her eyebrows and sat up as well. Their hands were still intertwined, and Thomas thought that now was as good a time as any. He pulled out a small ring from his pocket and brought it up to the sky. The girl was speechless as to what to say.

He was asking her to go steady with him.

"Lilith, there are many stars up there in the sky," he said, looking over at her with a determined smile on his face, "But you're the star that shines the brightest, Lil," he muttered, and before she could say anything, he slid the ring onto her hand that was in his.

"Thomas, you really are strange to like a girl such as me," Lilith stated, not believing that this was really happening. That she was actually happy for once in her life.

Thomas watched as she stared up into his eyes, "When I first met you ten years ago, I had this small crush on this beautiful and sophisticated woman…" He trailed, taking his hand from hers and placing it behind him so he could lean on them. "When you vanished and then reappeared, you were broken."

Lilith let out a small chuckle, bringing a hand to her mouth, "And you gave me a flower."

"And I gave you a flower," he repeated her with a cheeky grin, "Your eyes lit up, as if you had remembered that from so long ago. You remembered me out of everyone, and that made hope fill within me. Your eyes had indeed lit up, but it was filled with such pain."

"Not anymore," Lilith stated, scooting closer to him and placing her hands onto his closest one. "Because I have you with me," she muttered, and he grinned, leaning closer to her. Their lips touched, and she leaned into the kiss. She wanted to be with him, and he wanted to be with her. Soon, however, her weight was too much for him, and he fell on the ground with her on top of him.

The laid down on the ground in silence for a few seconds before breaking out into laughter. A loose hair had fallen in Lilith's face, and Thomas raised a hand, slowly placing it behind her ear.

"And I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," he promised, making her face turn red. He chuckled at her embarrassment and held her in his arms. He sat up, bringing her along with him, "Let's get you home before your father yells at me…" He trailed before letting out a teasing frown. "Again."

Lilith let out a knowing smile, "Alright."

* * *

 **(Past)**

A month had passed, and soon Thomas and Lilith were going out on dates more frequently. Any free time they had, they spent together. Lilith and her step-sister were bonding, and Eliza had referred to Lilith as her daughter out in public. Her father had even earned a raise at his job in the military.

"Come on! Hurry!" Thomas yelled out in bliss. He held his fiancée's hand within his. Her laughter was echoing off the nearby buildings. They were out star gazing when suddenly it down poured. Their entire bodies were soaked, even their shoes had proved futile against the rain.

"Thomas!" Lilith yelled out, almost tripping over her bare feet. She had chosen to remove her shoes since they were drenched anyways. The streets of London were vacant, and the people of London were safely in their homes. All except the two lovebirds that just had to see each other. She almost tripped again, except Thomas grabbed her sides and twirled her in the air, almost doing a dance as they ran.

Lilith let out a giddy chuckle when she landed on the ground, and Thomas offered her his arm, "Shall we skip?" He asked playfully.

Thomas watched the spark in her eyes and a grin appeared on her face, "Of course!" She agreed, tethering her arm in between his. They locked arms and skipped down the streets of London, all the while laughing and making jokes. When they had appeared on the steps of her house, they were both out of breath. "Shh! Father is sleeping!" She lectured, bringing a finger up to her lips.

"I will see you tomorrow, my lady," Thomas promised doing a mock bow before darting off into the rain once again. "I will wait to see you!" He yelled over the wind and rain that was attacking him.

"And I will wait to see you…" Lilith mumbled opening the door to her home quietly. When she closed it behind her she quickly placed her soaking hair up on her head. Pinning it to hold it in place, she tried to balance it as best she could.

Lilith needed a towel and a change of attire. She tried her best to ring her clothes on the tile to not drag a trail of water through the two-story apartment.

She took two steps before there was a knocking at the door. Lilith raised her eyebrows and looked behind her at the door. She thought it was Thomas, and so she quickly opened the door. "Thomas, did you forget…?" She trailed as she looked to see who it was. She felt frozen in her tracks when she saw the ominous form of Peter Pan in front of her. He wasn't drenched from the rain, and it appeared as if he landed his eyes on something that he wanted.

Her breath hitched in her throat when she found that he was looking at her.

Without delaying a second, she quickly slammed the door in his face. Her body wouldn't stop trembling as memories from Neverland were flooding back to her. Her heartbeat started to thump out of her chest, and she found it harder and harder to breathe. She locked the door quickly when she saw the doorknob start to twist.

He was trying to come in.

"Oh come on, Lil…" He trailed in a dejected tone, "Is that how you greet your king?"

" _Knives_ ," Lilith muttered quickly, moving away from the front door and running into the kitchen. She had grown accustomed to Eliza's organizing and found the knives quickly as she took the sharpest butcher knife that she could fine. She grasped the handle tightly and slammed the drawer shut.

It was at that moment that the lights had gone out. Lightning flashed in the window, making light appear in the kitchen. In front of her was the teenager from Neverland with his arms crossed. He looked at her in amusement at her small attempt at a defense.

The light only lasted a few seconds, and she swung to where she thought he had been. Her blade met air, and she let out a panicked breath.

Her mind was frantically telling her that he was behind her.

That he was to the side of her.

That he was still in front of her.

Her instincts were uncontrollable, and she just wanted to get away from the boy. Lilith quickly placed her back to the wall and tried to lead herself out of the kitchen. She ran into somebody's chest with her side, and barely managed to duck down when Pan tried to grab her arm.

"What I said before about not needing you…" His voice trailed out as she started to crawl out of the kitchen now. She was more focused on escaping than fighting. Besides, she knew she couldn't take him on. "I didn't mean it, Tiger Lily."

" _Don't_ call me that," Lilith growled out, unable to stop herself. Thanks to her hate-filled outburst, Pan's hands landed on her mid-section and hauled her to her feet. She realized that if she were back in Neverland, she probably would have been out for the count considering the dark bruises on her stomach. She swung her blade about wildly, forgetting all of her techniques that Felix had taught her.

Only one thing was on her mind; run.

"Let go!" She yelled, tears springing from her eyes. "Let go of me, _now_!" She ordered, her voice growling out to him, making her appear strong.

"You see, you made me immortal, but there was a fine print," Pan stated, and he started to move towards the front door. Lilith's eyes went wide and she tried to hold onto the wall that separated the kitchen from the front door. He was inching backwards towards the exit, and she knew that she needed to try everything in her power to stay.

"We need to stay together for the sand to stop falling," he stated simply.

Lilith's heart dropped. He was here to take her back to Neverland. He was going to take her away from being Lilith again. Her eyes narrowed and she knew that she had to fight back with whatever she had.

"I'm not going back!" She hissed out, taking a large step back, tripping up Pan. He let go of her for only a fraction of a second, and she plunged the knife into his stomach as she turned around to face him. The demon teen let out a small hiss of pain as he stared down at the weapon.

He then looked up at the girl was had fire around her. Her eyes narrowed over at the teen, yet he could see the growing fear and pain in those small orbs of hers. She was determined to stay back in her little town in London.

He let out a scoff, "You will," he growled out in a dark tone. He snapped his fingers, trying to use magic to warp them back to Neverland, but found that it didn't work in this realm.

"Your little magic doesn't work here, Pan. This is a realm _without_ it," Lilith mocked, and Pan simply shrugged his shoulders with the news.

"Then it's a good thing that I brought _my_ _own_ magic with me," he spoke out, making the girl confused. It was then that she noticed that there was something standing behind her. One with the exact cold darkness that Pan consisted of. When it grabbed her from behind, she felt the thing eat away at her energy.

It was Pan's shadow.

"Now, off to Neverland," he promised darkly, grabbing the knife from his stomach and examined it. "You've gotten rusty in my absence…" He commented heartlessly as he threw it on the ground. Although the noise was small, it seemed to echo off the walls of the small room.

The girl tried to struggle out of the shadow's grip, but it only held tighter, making the girl feel nauseous with a sudden urge to throw up. It levitated, and Pan outstretched his hand to grab onto his shadow's leg.

"No…no, no, no, no!" Lilith yelled frantically in disbelief. When they exited out of the home, she knew that she needed to get away from Pan and his shadow as quickly as she could. She tried to punch the shadow that was behind her in a last resort.

Her hand went right through it, and Pan only looked at the girl with amusement. She pulled back her hand and looked at it in a mixture of confusion and fear.

"Aren't you excited to be going home, Lil?" Pan asked with a smirk.

She watched as London's streets vanished from her vision and instead was replaced with clouds. Tears were flowing out of her eyes, "Neverland is _not_ my home," she growled out, glaring at the teenager. "It will _never_ be my home!"

"Then we'll have to work on that, won't we?" Pan asked ominously, and soon the shadow appeared over Neverland. Lilith never thought that she would see this place again. No, maybe she had a nagging feeling that Pan would never completely leave her alone. She never wanted to see Neverland again. A few months wasn't a long enough vacation from a place as savage and ruthless savages. Now that she had a taste of how life should be, she wanted more.

She didn't want to be under Pan's rule again.

She didn't want to be hurt by him again.

The ocean was below her, and she knew that the mermaids were watching the spectacle from below. Although she didn't see any on the surface, she knew that they were below the unforgiving onslaught of waves.

It was a chance, one that she had to take.

She wasn't sure if Pan was aware that she couldn't swim, but anything was better than staying with him. Even death in her eyes seemed like paradise compared to living in the hell hole that was Neverland.

"I said let go!" She yelled, concentrating with all of her might that the shadow would drop her. She heard Pan let out a grunt of surprise when white lights blasted out of her hands. Lilith didn't have time to think before the recoil from the attack pushed her downwards into the ocean below. The only thing that she was conscious of was the lack of oxygen she now had.

Her hair was drenched yet again, as was her long flowing dress from London. She quickly looked around, spotting a merman that was swimming by. She waved her arms above her head, trying to signal him to look at her. It didn't take very long, and he turned towards her, an eyebrow raised. She tried to swim as fast as she could over to the creature, knowing that she would run out of air soon. And when she did, she would need to go back up to the surface to breathe.

But she couldn't swim.

This was the only chance she had before death completely succumbed her.

"Aren't you Pan's pet?" The merman asked, and Lilith wanted to argue that she wasn't anything close to a pet. Yet, the more that she thought about it, the more she knew what they all spoke about her was true. She was trapped and Pan was the warden so to speak. She nodded, and looked up towards the surface. She pointed up, knowing that she couldn't speak, and the merman did so.

The two of them clearly saw two figures floating just above the surface of the water. The merman looked down and Lilith did a motion of 'kill' as she placed her finger across her throat. The creature nodded and offered his hand.

"You need a place to go?" He asked, trying to understand the mute human. She nodded frantically, letting a few air bubbles escape from her throat. She coughed, finally running out of air.

Her hands went up to her throat, and the more she tried to breathe, the harder it was. It wasn't air that she was taking in, but it was too late to stop the need for it. To Lilith, she would rather drown that be next to the demon known as Peter Pan again.

The merman grabbed her body and started to swim deeper into the ocean. She didn't have time to look around since she was slowly blacking out. The lack of oxygen was becoming too much, and soon she started to lose consciousness.

Pan observed that she didn't come back up to the surface. He knew she couldn't swim and was about to send his shadow down to collect her. He looked over at his shadow and did a stern nod, and it plummeted into the unforgiving waters. It reemerged, but it didn't have the girl with him.

He narrowed his eyes into the water and could only think of the mermaids and mermen that were swimming below the currents. An amused grin started to grow on his face.

"Just like her mother…"

* * *

 **(Past)**

The next thing she knew was that she greedily took in oxygen into her lungs. She coughed the water out, not remembering what had happened. Groggily, she opened her eyes, her entire body weight was more than she recalled. Birds were chirping, and she had a snagging feeling that she wasn't in London anymore. As her eyes adjusted, she saw nothing but trees in front of her.

Instantly she knew it wasn't Neverland, because if it were, then Pan would be immediately at her side when she woke up. Bragging or something of that sort. She placed her hand in the sand, pushing her body up to a sitting position. A headache overcame her, and she soon placed a free hand on her head. She didn't care that it was sandy, much like her entire body. An item on her hand shined from the sun that was hitting it, and she faintly remembered her engagement ring.

"Are you alright, girl?" Asked a hooded man that was in front of her with a gentle tone. She rose her eyes towards a stranger, and more than that, and adult. She blinked a few times, now fully knowing that she wasn't in Neverland. There wasn't any adults in Neverland, which meant that she was somewhere else. What he was wearing didn't match up to anything from London either.

"Where am I?" She asked, bringing her hand down from her head.

The man walked over to her and lowered his hood. To her, he seemed to be a kind young adult, but Neverland had taught her to be careful of anything and everything.

"Enchanted Forest, my dear," he stated, bending down in front of her. He eyed what she was wearing and smiled carefully at the girl. He didn't want to scare her. "It's obvious that you are not from around here, are you?"

Lilith shook her head, "No, I'm from someplace far away," she said, standing up. The weight from her drenched long dress mixed with the sand from the beach made it difficult.

"How on Earth did you get here?" He asked with raised eyebrows. He looked over to the small lake and found no source of magic. By the looks of the girl, he doubted that she was a witch or anything that could use magic.

She didn't look the type – and she certainly didn't look chaotic or evil.

"Merman," She responded dryly, not wanting to talk about anything else. She started to shiver, and placed her arms across her chest. Despite the sun being out, she was still cold. "I need…" She whispered, looking back over towards the lake. She waited a few seconds, expecting Pan to arrive, furious and hell bent on asserting his vengeance.

Instead - it was silent.

The water on the lake hadn't moved or had been disturbed.

For the first time, she hadn't been deathly afraid of the forest surrounding her. It almost seemed rather peaceful, and she found that nature could be beautiful when you weren't trapped on a timeless island with a teenager ruling over you.

The man cleared his throat, making Lilith immediately glance over to the adult. Her instincts started to take over, and she knew that there was magic here. Wherever this Enchanted Forest was, it had magic. And if it had magic, then that meant that Pan could easily come here and take her.

On the other hand, she now had magic as well.

"Would you like to get cleaned up?" He offered, making the girl eye him suspiciously.

And she didn't know how to control it at all.

"I have a rather large home," he commented, drawing in the girl, "Perhaps you would like to take a bath to get refreshed?"

"Who are you?" Lilith asked when he held out his hand to help the girl from out of the sand.

"You mean, you don't know who I am?" He asked in disbelief. She shook her head slowly and let out a small apologetic smile. "Prince Leopold," he addressed with a kind smile, "It's a pleasure, Miss."

Lilith stared at him and took his hand, "Lilith," she offered, and with a strong tug she was out of the sand. When she had hit the grass, she tore her dress at the bottom, knowing that it would make walking easier. She wanted to take off her shoes to avoid leaving tracks on the ground for Pan to follow, but she didn't want the company that she was with to think her weird.

* * *

 **(Present)**

"This is a cell…" Tiger trailed, looking down at what Neal had given her to examine. She turned it around in her hands, taking in the sleek image of the case with curious eyes. "A cell what, again?" She asked, looking up from the item and up into the eyes of the man.

"A cellphone," he stated with a grin, "I'll have to get you one when we return to Storybrooke," he added as an afterthought. Tiger looked at him with a vacant gaze, and he then let out a chuckle, "It's a town…uh, sort of like London," he simplified, and Tiger let out a small nod in return.

She didn't have the heart to tell him that she couldn't even remember London on a good day anymore.

A shuffling came from the woods to their left and right, and Tiger immediately pulled out her sword. Her body crouched down some, more than eager to initiate a fight. If it was some poor Lost Boy who had wandered their way over to them, then that would cost them dearly. She intently listened, and Neal carefully placed Henry down on the ground. He pulled out his crossbow, and looked over to where Tiger was looking.

Neal didn't have time to blink when Tiger leapt behind him with her sword raised. He heard steel clash into steel, and Felix appeared behind the duo. The girl was no amateur to Neverland, and it was clear to Neal that he needed to brush up on his skills. Otherwise, he would no doubt meet his end on this dreaded island.

He had already come close to dying in the past on this unforgiving territory.

"Felix…" Tiger hissed out, pushing her sword down on his. The teen boy's body started to inch backward, under the weight of her own brute strength.

"Where's Pan?" She asked, knowing that Pan's right hand would know where he was. Felix responded with a glare at her, and she narrowed her eyes at the teenager. She knew she wasn't going to get an answer, and instead suddenly lifted her weight and slashed at his hand. The movement was so quick, that Neal didn't have time to see it happen. Felix was on the ground, clutching his injured hand that started to spew blood. The teenager knew it would leave a scar if Pan didn't heal it soon. Felix didn't have time to spit out any swears at the girl before the tip of her sword was at his throat.

Carefully and skillfully, she lifted up his chin, a small trail of blood coming from the tip of the blade.

"I would tell her what she wants to know," Neal pressured, a taunting smirk on his face. His hands were at his crossbow, ready to fire if needed.

Felix let out a dark chuckle, "Well, Baelfire, it seems as if you've grown up," he muttered out, and that earned him an impatient slash from the girl holding him at sword point. He felt the steel dig into his chin deeper, and he let out a scathing glare at the girl. She was emotionless, she held no pride in torturing him, and he didn't want to hurt her.

"Too bad - it appears as though you've grown up stupid," he reasoned, tilting his head back some.

Tiger realized all too late that it was a trap. She cursed to herself when a torrent of arrows appeared from the skies. She quickly threw her sword down and placed her hands over her head, a white barrier appearing over the two of them.

Felix was out of the crosshairs of the attack, and Tiger didn't exactly want to protect him. Although, she didn't want to hurt him either.

"Get Henry," Tiger ordered sternly, the magic taking away her energy. She quickly fell onto one knee, with one leg propped up on the ground.

"Lilith, we have to run," Neal suggested, taking his son in his arms. He looked over at his friend with a worried gaze. Sweat was pouring on her face, and she fell completely on her knees in a matter of seconds.

"Now!" He pressed anxiously, about ready to take her with him, but stopped when Peter Pan himself showed up directly outside the barrier.

"You two aren't going anywhere," Pan said in a calm tone. Tiger tried to avoid looking at him, and instead looked up at Neal. He looked down at her, not knowing what to do. He knew that they couldn't take on Pan, and that the only choice was to run. However, Neal couldn't carry his son and his sister with him at the same time.

Tiger let out an exasperated breath, "When I drop the barrier…" She trailed, darting her eyes over to the forest. Neal understood what she was saying and immediately frowned. He disagreed with her plan and found that it was stupid to separate so soon after reuniting.

"I'm not leaving you, Lilith," he lectured, as if he were her father.

She didn't have enough strength to argue, and soon her hands fell to the ground. They ached, and she wouldn't take his energy so that she could continue using magic. He was too precious to her for that. "Idiot…" She whispered, her hands and knees now on the ground. Her hair was over her face, but she could still hear Pan's footsteps walking over to her.

Neal let out a grunt, and before she could stop herself, she immediately raised her head. The concern for her brother was clear in her eyes, and Pan looked eagerly down at her. She avoided Pan's gaze and instead looked over at Neal. He was forced to his knees with his arms behind his back. A blade laced with Dreamshade was pointed at his throat.

"No!" She yelled out, knowing that would kill him.

"That's the thing with hostage situations, Lil," Pan said, dropping down into a squat so she could see his eyes directly. A victorious smirk was on his face, and she didn't have time to scowl at him. "You don't have any control over them."

"Pan!" Tiger yelled, gripping the dirt under her hands sternly, "Don't!" She growled, and he let out a merciless chuckle. He stood up and walked over to Neal. Tiger scanned the area for Henry and found that Felix was holding him over his shoulder. She knew that Pan would never let them go, and it was foolish of her for thinking that she could possibly have a life without Pan in it.

For once she thought that since she was with Baelfire, everything would be okay.

Everything was _not_ okay.

Pan walked with his hands behind his back and in a large circle around Neal. Tiger narrowed her eyes at this, she knew he was showing off. He had all the cards, and now he just had to play them.

"You know that's Dreamshade on that blade," he stated, and Tiger grinded her teeth together to prevent herself from saying anything. "The only cure to that is a certain water…" He stated, looking over at the girl.

"What do you _want_ from me, Pan…?" She asked weakly, staring up at the teenage boy.

"I don't want you to leave, Lil," Pan stated simply, "And with _Baelfire_ of all people?" He asked rhetorically with a scoff as he shook his head. He walked over to where Tiger was on the ground. "You know your place is by _me_."

Tiger let out a dark chuckle, "You want me to drink the water…" She muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.

Pan placed a hand under her chin with a menacing smirk on his face, "The worst thing I could possibly take away from you right at this moment is your _hope_ ," he stated, and he quickly dropped her face, making the girl slowly close her eyes. She was trying to conceal her emotions. Her hate for the teenager was off a readable scale.

"And with the _hope_ of leaving Neverland gone, you'll truly be here forever," he said, snapping his fingers.

"Don't do it, Lilith!" Neal begged from where he was. He had to move carefully, to avoid getting slashed in the throat. The Lost Boys holding him down had a hard time since he was a fully grown adult. "You deserve to get off this island the most!"

"Shut up, old man!" Yelled one of the Lost Boys as they quickly hit him on the back of his head.

Tiger shakily stood up and looked over at Pan. "You won't hurt him if I drink the water?" She asked, and before she could open her mouth to say anything else, a wooden bowl with a small collection of water appeared in her hands.

Pan walked over to her, a dark smirk on his face, "I promise that I won't hurt him."

"Or any of your Lost Boys. Or Neverland itself. Or anything on Neverland."

"Lil-

"I want your _word_ that he's going to be safe," Tiger hissed out, clenching the wooden bowl in her hands tightly. Pan made a frown, knowing that he had been caught with his own word. He had wanted to kill Baelfire by having one of his boys do it.

Now, he couldn't do that.

"The word of Peter Pan is law," Tiger scolded him harshly.

Pan let out a roll of his eyes. He had been played at his own game, and he didn't quite like it.

"That it is," he muttered, and he placed his hands on his waist in speculation. No doubt he was thinking about another way to kill Baelfire. Because, as long as the man was around, then Tiger wouldn't be his.

And he couldn't have that.

Tiger stared down at the bowl, her body started to tremble. Her instincts were telling her to throw the bowl away, to not drink whatever was inside of it. Slowly, she raised it up to her lips and took a few gulps. She wanted it to be over, she wanted it all to be over. When she slammed the bowl on the ground, Neal let out a curse.

"Good girl," Pan praised, placing his hand on her shoulder. She felt disgusted with not only herself, but with Pan. She hated this place, she hated all of it. "Bring him with us," Pan ordered, and the Lost Boys started to drag Neal backward.

"You said he would be safe!" Tiger argued, letting out a growl. She went to get up, but found that her stomach had started doing flips. Her arms found her way around her body to comfort it. Her body started becoming hot, and she felt as if she were on fire. Clenching her teeth, she still dared to look up at Pan with a glare.

Pan let out a cheeky chuckle, "And he will be safe. The safest place is back at camp," he said, reaching down towards the girl and grabbing her hair. He lifted her up by her long locks, and she let out a hiss of detestment. "By the way that you're looking at me, you don't like what I have planned do you?"

Tiger tried to swat at Pan with her fists. She tried to scratch him, anything to release her anger that she was feeling on the inside. "I swear that if you hurt that kid…"

"You're in no position to _threaten_ me, Lil," Pan stated in an amused tone. He lifted her up higher, and she clenched her teeth to avoid screaming out. He was tearing at her hair, and combined with the magic water that had entered her body - she was on the verge of passing out. "Besides, Henry was never included in our little deal."

 **To be continued…**


	11. Blue Eyed Girl

**A/N: And here we are again! Welcome back everybody! Thanks for all the favs/follows/and reviews! You didn't think that Lilith has been to the Enchanted Forest, but she has! Wonder what other secrets she has?**

 **I am running out of cool edgy music to put at the beginning. :/**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

Hold on for a second, if words can be weapons  
Then what I say can effect it, they're not just words on a record  
And I can choose to respect it, or choose to infect it  
But once it hits the water, it's too late to be selective

~Thousand Foot Krutch "Untraveled Road"

* * *

Ch. 11: Have you ever met the girl with the blue eyes?

 **(Past)**

"Thank you," Lilith said with a kind and gentle voice at the woman who had brought her a change of clothes. It was strange, being in a foreign land that was different to her own. She thought that Neverland was different, but she hadn't expected the Enchanted Forest to be.

There were castles, and ogres. People feared magic users and called them witches. She pondered if Pan would be considered one of those, but quickly dismissed the thought. It didn't matter even if he was considered one – she didn't want to even hear his name let alone think it. At least, not for a few months or so.

Without knowing it, white lights started to appear in the palm of her hands due to her anger towards the teen.

The peasant woman had just left and closed the door behind her, and Lilith let out a breath of relief. She quickly shook her hands out, and the white light faded slowly away. Tiny specks of light were the only indication that she had even used her magic. Ever since appearing in realms with magic, she couldn't control herself very well.

Before she could stop herself, her thoughts were focusing back on Pan once again. She wondered if her condition was similar to the teenager's. Then again, he was well-acquainted with magic and wasn't a stranger to it – not like she was.

A knock at the door dragged her out of her thoughts, "Miss Lilith, Prince Leopold apologizes in advance," came a voice through the door, "He will be busy attending to the Ogre War situation and will be away from the castle for the night."

"That's alright," Lilith muttered, hoping that her voice was loud enough to reach the messenger. She looked down at the white gown that she had on. The Prince was kind enough to lend her clothes during her stay at the castle. Although it was plain, it matched her small amount of elegance well.

Sometimes she thought it was because he pitied her – or perhaps it was because she was from a different realm. The last option seemed the less sensible – that he was only helping her out of the goodness of his heart. After living in both London and Neverland, she was finding it hard that there would be a single person with that much light in them.

A gentle breeze entered the room, and the girl lifted her head from her thoughts and looked at the east side of the room where a window was located. "So different from London…" She mumbled, walking over to where a window was propped open. She was given a nice bedroom, but knew she couldn't stay in one place for too long.

Pan would find her.

She _couldn't_ let that happen.

She gripped the window sill tightly and shook her head. Her long brushed out hair cascaded down her back in small curls. It hadn't been this straight since before her time at Neverland. Back when her brother and father were the only ones living in that apartment.

Before she had yelled up at the sky and started her living nightmare.

"He _can't_ find me," she whispered out, unware of the small trails of tears that were flooding down her cheeks. One landed on her hand, and her breath hitched in her throat when she spotted the ring. It was glistening in the sunlight and was the only thing that kept her tied to reality.

Thomas.

She missed Thomas the most.

"I need to get back to London…I-I have to get back," she stated, looking over the small forest that the castle overlooked. It looked peaceful and inviting. Far better than the forests back in London or Neverland.

Well, they were _definitely_ different from Neverland's.

Then again, _anything_ was better than Neverland.

"Thomas would love this place…" She whispered out, bringing the hair that had fallen to the front of her body behind to her back. "He would…love…" She trailed out, falling to her knees from being apart from her fiancée for so long. Her hands were still gripping the window sill, and her knuckles were turning white.

Was he worrying about her?

Would he come looking for her?

Her heart dropped, she hoped that he wouldn't. She sincerely hoped that he wouldn't yell up at the sky in search of her, as she had when she yelled up for her brother. That would only alert Pan's shadow to his presence. He needed to stay away from Neverland, and _especially_ Pan.

She placed her hands in front of her and saw the white lights start to illuminate on the tips of her fingers. Her eyes widened, and she shook her hands quickly to get rid of the magic in fear.

She also had magic now - the same type of magic that Peter Pan himself possessed.

And she had no idea how to control it.

Clenching her hands tightly closed, she looked up at the sky with a frown.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Pan was holding Tiger by the hair, and with his free hand he was pushing up her chin gently to look up at him. He enjoyed the look of complete hate that was directed at him. Letting out a smirk, he brought up her form higher so that her feet weren't touching the ground.

She couldn't fight back, her magic usage had drained whatever energy she had left. All she could do was glare at the teenager who held her in his grasp.

They both didn't expect a blast of magic to be launched at Pan. He dropped her and quickly put up a green shield in response. She fell to the ground harshly, and tried to quickly roll away from him with the left over momentum. She managed to summersault backwards. Pan glanced over at where she had fell and gave a small roll of his eyes in annoyment.

Mostly from her trying to escape him once again.

"Rumple…" Pan trailed, looking over at the brush that the forest had provided. The Dark One carefully walked out from where he was hiding. Tiger's hands started shaking, trying to reach the sword that was still on the ground a few feet away.

She was defenseless, and it wasn't as if she could resort to magic.

"You always _did_ find loopholes in deals," Rumple hissed out, not amused at his father's antics. He teleported in front of the teenager, and Pan merely let out a few nods, agreeing with his son. " _Where's_ _my_ _son_?"

Tiger surreptitiously grabbed the blade of her sword and quickly tossed it in the air. She caught it by the hilt, and crawled a few spaces away from the father and son duo. When her back met contact with a tree, she chose that moment to intake some much needed oxygen.

The water that she had drank wasn't mixing well with her. She let out a few coughs, her hand going up to her mouth as she tried to conceal her illness. Pan glanced over to her, and she couldn't stop the coughing that was spreading through her.

"Lil, it's because your magic threshold is comparable to mine," he stated, giving the girl an explanation to her condition. She kept coughing into her hand, and when she pulled away, she found that there was a few splatters of blood on it.

"The roots of Neverland are growing inside of you," he added carelessly before directing his undivided attention on his son.

It wasn't as if she would be moving anytime soon from that spot. Her body was taking time to readjust to the environment, and Tiger began to hunch over, still coughing from the changes happening through her. She dropped her weapon on the ground, deciding to place her free arm across her stomach. It was in pain.

In fact, her entire body was in pain.

She shouldn't have done it. She shouldn't have taken the water that condemned her to Neverland. But, she did it for Baelfire. She would have done anything for her brother – even go to hell and back for that kid.

If she had the option to do it again; she would.

The coughing continued, and she felt a hand on her shoulder. She tried to swat it away weakly, but found that their grip on her shoulder tightened. Deciding to look over at who it was, she narrowed her eyes at the face that was staring back at her.

" **What. Are. You. Doing. Here**?" Tiger signed with her hands in between her coughing.

" **Here. For. You. Tiger** ," Water signed with a frown on her face. She had long flowing black hair, along with blue eyes. All of the natives had blue eyes; it was a signature trait.

" **Hurry**!" Water signed, looking over to where Pan and Rumple were preoccupied with one another.

Tiger let out a few coughs before she nodded towards her tribal sister. Cautiously, she placed her sword on her utility belt and crawled stealthily into the bushes. It took longer than usual because Tiger needed to pause for a small bit to catch her breath.

Her stomach felt like it was boiling from the inside – and her muscles were screaming at her to stop moving. Her chest felt as if with each passing second, thousands of knives were being thrown into it. Still, she wasn't going to stop when she had an escape option. It didn't matter what kind of agony she was currently in, she would pursue through it just to get away from him.

Pan hadn't even known that she had left, since he was too preoccupied with his son to worry about the sickened girl; who was supposed to be too weakened to move.

She made it to a small clearing, stifling her coughs with her mouth. She would not let Pan catch her again. Freedom was within her reach, and she would keep it this time. Barely making it past the small clearing, she collapsed on the ground. It wasn't very loud, but it was enough to make Water Lily worry. She let out a frown and offered her tribal sister up with an offered arm.

" **Can't. Walk** ," Tiger signed, her hands trembling from how weak her body was becoming. She tried to take her tribal sister's hand, but found that Water didn't have enough strength to lift her up. Water let out a frustrated growl form her throat, telling her to wait there. Water then quickly exited into the forest on their right.

The teen girl let out a few coughs, but covered them up with her hands over her mouth. A shudder went through her, and she suddenly felt the urge to puke. She had never felt ill all throughout her time on Neverland, and she could faintly remember what it was like having the flu back in London. It was a long time ago, but she remembered that it wasn't pleasant at all.

"Trying to escape me… _once_ _again_ , I might add," Pan's amused voice came from beside her. Tiger glared and tried to let out a growl of her own. She did try, but it somehow got caught in her throat, making the girl cough again. "You should honestly know better by now," he lectured, shaking his head as he bent down and picked her up effortlessly.

" **Fuck. You** ," Tiger signed, not being able to talk since the coughing fit started. Her throat was scratchy, and even if she could talk – her throat was too sore for words to come out of it. She might be able to spit out a few words if she wanted to deal with the pain.

Pan frowned at her sign language, "Ah, native speak…" He drawled out dryly, "Always a pleasure when you sign me something, Lil," he stated, shaking his head as he began to walk away with her in his arms. "Although, I don't need to know your language to know that you most likely _cursed_ at me."

Tiger glared and reached down to her belt and tried to pull out her sword that she had recently acquired. She fumbled with the handle, her sweaty hands from a developing fever making the sword fall out of her grasp. She watched with wide eyes of shock when it landed on the ground. Pan never stopped his walking, and she pounded on his chest with her fists.

Mostly in anger at him and herself.

"Let her go!" Came a voice that was speaking in broken English.

Pan was mostly surprised that a native was around in this area of Neverland. He turned around with an eyebrow raised. He already had a guess on who it was coming to rescue his dear Tiger Lily.

Water Lily stood confidently in front of him, with a glare on her face. She was twenty years old, a grown adult on Neverland. In her hands was a wooden spear that was sharpened to a lethal point at the tip of it. She directed the tip of the spear towards Pan, her eyes never leaving his demented ones.

"Water Lily, was it?" Pan asked, glancing down at Tiger with a growing smirk on his face. Her eyes widened instantly at what he was insinuating. The teenaged girl came to life in his arms, struggling to be let go, but Pan only held onto his grip on the girl tighter than ever before.

"Let Tiger go!" Water yelled again, her thick native accent sticking out like a sore thumb.

Pan tilted his head in thought, as if considering his options. "No," he said bluntly after a few moments. "You see, _Tiger_ belongs to _me_ , she never was supposed to meet the likes of _you_ ," he explained, shaking his head, "But, since you've come out from hiding, I can finally end you right here," he promised darkly, raising a hand towards her.

"Pa-n," Tiger squeaked out from his arms. Her sore throat was telling her to be quiet and not say anything. The girl held in a flinch and resisted the urge to grab her sore throat with her hand. He glanced down, his arms still being raised towards the female native adult. "Please," she added, struggling to say a single word. She then let out several coughs, her eyes watering as tears streamed down her face. "A-A-ny," she squeaked again.

"Anything in exchange for her life?" Pan asked, and Water's eyes widened.

"No!" Water protested, taking a step towards the two of them. She was stopped in mid step by Pan, who wouldn't let this chance be passed up. "Don't!" Water pleaded out to her tribal sister since she was bound to the spot where she was standing. No matter what, she could not move – no matter how much she wanted to or struggled.

Tiger looked up at Pan, and a thousand regrets were in her eyes. Pan could instantly see it, and Tiger was clenching her teeth in defeat. The teen boy rose an eyebrow, expecting her response, and she nodded stiffly. "Then you are not to leave the camp again," Pan insisted, and Tiger's eyes widened, "Is that understood?" He added hastily, his smugness radiating off of him in waves.

"Kongol no like those odds," A male's voice came from beyond where Water Lily stood frozen. Pan furrowed his eyebrows at the newcomer. He was well built, and was barely wearing any clothing aside from red and brown paint covering his body. A black loincloth covered his lower half of his body. "Kongol will fight you for Tiger's freedom."

"Kongol, huh?" Pan playfully asked with a smirk. "Kongol's going to be in for a world of _death_ ," he promised as his voice grew darker at the mention of ending his life. He snapped his fingers, and in seconds, Tiger was tied to a tree with Pan's magic. Although, she was sitting down, which allowed her to try and recover any energy that she needed to overcome the illness she had recently obtained.

" **Be. Careful. Kongol** ," Water signed with a hopeful smile on her face, yet her hands were shaking by how scared she truly was in this situation. Not many people have defeated Pan, the only one who she knew of who even came close was Tiger Lily herself.

Kongol nodded, brandishing his axe from his back with a determined gaze. Pan let out a smirk, he was always one to accept a challenge. However, this wasn't even a competition.

This fight was over before it even began.

* * *

 **(Past)**

After a few months of staying in the Enchanted Forest, she knew that she could waste no more in this realm. She needed to get back to London as soon as she could.

"Where are you going, Lady Lilith?" Asked a servant woman when Lilith quickly walked through the hallway. Leopold gave her a new set of clothes, a brown corset top with a long flowing white skirt. Lilith was stopped in her quick pursuit through the castle and glanced over at the servant woman in alarm. The teenager was clutching the hand with her engagement ring on it.

"Out…" Lilith muttered, knowing that she had been caught in the act of escaping. There was a book in the library that enlightened her on an object that would get her back to London. A magical bean; one with extreme magical power. She had a general idea of where the bean was, but didn't know how to get there. The maps that the castle had of the Enchanted Forest looked far too confusing to her.

The servant woman let out a frown and walked over to the teenager that the prince decided to adopt under his wing. The rumors were that she came from another world; one where there were large buildings reigning over the skies, and a giant clock rang out at every hour. The prince was intrigued by these stories, and decided to keep the girl around. He treated her as a younger sister, a relationship that the king was confused of, but decided to not question it.

"There are ogres out in the wild, my lady," the woman lectured with a small smile on her face.

"I've heard of the ogres, and they do not scare me," Lilith answered back, her hand going down to the holster that the knights had given her. A handle protruded out, and the tips of her fingers touched it. "I wish to get back to London as quickly as possible," she added, a little too quickly. She turned on her heels, the skirt doing a small twirl as she did so.

The woman let out a small sigh, "Why must you leave, my lady?" She asked, making Lilith freeze in taking another step forward. The teenager frowned, knowing why she had to leave. Her fiancée was waiting for her, and Pan would be after her regardless of where she was. "You have protection from the royal family. You have everything here in the Enchanted Forest…" The servant muttered, not understanding the girl's want for leaving.

Lilith turned and looked at the servant, "And I'm thankful, but you must understand," she stated a small frown on her own face. "I don't belong in this realm," she said in a small voice.

"My family is in another," she added weakly, knowing how it might seem to someone else.

The Enchanted Forest wasn't _her_ home; but it was _a_ home. The people had accepted her with open arms. Prince Leopold had taken her into his castle and practically treated her as family. He was busy on a royal marriage appointment – one that she herself had pushed him towards. The knights had respected her sword fighting skills, even if they had all responded that there wasn't a universal 'technique' in her swings.

That her attacks were ruthless and unpredictable.

Which made sense, she had learned them from a savage place known only as Neverland.

"I understand, my lady," the woman responded at seeing how emotionally torn Lilith was. The teenager looked up at the woman with a small smile, "What shall I tell my prince of your disappearance?" She asked, a little worried at what the kind and innocent Prince Leopold would do.

"Tell him that I won't forget him," Lilith stated with a genuine smile. She turned on her heels once again, her hand still on the handle of her sword.

She needed to find that bean.

She wanted to get home and see Thomas.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Kongol was surprisingly holding his own against the King of Neverland himself. Pan let out an amused expression, only raising one eyebrow. The giant native deflected one of his magic attacks by using his oversized axe as a shield. The attack then hit a nearby tree, making Kongol place his axe beside him; ready for another magic attack by Pan.

Pan let out a lifeless chuckle, placing his arms by his sides.

"What do you say we fight on even grounds?" He proposed, quickly placing his left hand out to his side. In seconds, a sword appeared in his hand. The immortal teenager looked at the sword with a growing smirk on his face before tossing the weapon in the air before catching it in his right hand at the handle.

"No!" Tiger yelled out from the sidelines of the fight. She knew what Pan's tactic was. He wasn't an idiot about battle strategies, and close quarter combat was something he was well trained in. There was a good reason why the teenager didn't fight with weapons…it was so that his opponent thought they had a chance at winning.

When Pan pulls out a weapon; he isn't playing around anymore.

Water Lily was still frozen in place on the opposite end that Tiger Lily was on. The girl with the blue eyes looked over at her tribal sister with a worried glance. Water knew that Tiger didn't yell out very often, and that something was definitely wrong.

"Come on, Tiger Lily," Pan teased, looking over in her direction. The teenaged girl let out a glare over at him when he spoke. "I haven't had _fun_ in a while," he replied slowly, directing his eyes over to where the giant form of the native stood.

" **Kongol, he will kill you with shade** ," Tiger said in her tribal tongue. She knew he would heed the message, it was a saying that had been around the tribe for many decades. It spelled out that Pan's sword was coated in Dreamshade.

Kongol looked over at the girl pinned to the tree and then over at Pan with a cautious and suspicious filled gaze. Pan let out a sigh of disappointment and then shook his head dramatically.

"You warned him, didn't you?" Pan asked, swinging his weapon to the side. His shadow had disappeared as he started walking over to his victim. Water Lily tensed, and Tiger Lily struggled against the magic pinning her against the tree. "It doesn't matter; not much really," he corrected, shaking his head slowly.

Pan disappeared from sight suddenly, and Tiger's eyes widened at not seeing where he went. She looked over at Kongol, and she noticed that the tribal warrior was leaving an area open. "Kong-!" She began to yell, but found that it was too late.

The teenager reappeared beside the giant native, plunging his sword deep into the man's abdomen.

Pan pulled out his sword mercilessly, a growing smirk on his face. He liked seeing death happening in front of him. When he swung the sword out to his side, blood splattered off from the blade, landing on himself as well as the ground.

The giant stood frozen before his body fell to the ground slowly - lifelessly. Tiger felt sick; even sicker than she was already feeling. She looked down at the ground, not wanting to see one of her friend's corpse in front of her.

Water Lily let out a blood curdling scream.

* * *

 **(Past)**

The search for the bean had proved to be futile.

Lilith was beginning to wonder if there was ever a thing in existence. She had, after all, read it in a _book_. She let out a scowl, sitting down on a river bank. The water flowed uncontrollably as the current was far too strong that night.

She let out a hiss, bringing out her sword with a glare. The urge to toss it into the coursing river was strong, but she stifled it down. Her hands tightened around the handle of the blade, and she slowly plunged the blade into the ground underneath her. It was buried a small fraction into the dirt with the blade reflecting the sun's rays.

"It's hopeless…" She whispered, and tears began to well up in her eyes.

At the rate she was going, she would never be able to go back to London. And she was running out of food, as well as money that Prince Leopold had gave her from her time at the castle. She was only at this for a week at the most.

"What am I going to _do_ …?" Lilith asked rhetorically, shaking her head. As soon as the words left her lips, she immediately tensed up. Her eyes widened, and she quickly stood up, her hand tightened around the handle of the blade. As she got up from her resting place, so did the weapon. "No, no, no…" She chanted, trying to feel hopeful again.

"I _am_ going to go back to London," Lilith stated, and she nodded, encouraging herself to continue, "I _am_ going to get back to London…!" She said at a higher volume.

"Are you sure about that, Lil?" Asked Pan's voice from behind her.

Startled and alarmed, Lilith turned around with her sword pointing at the teenager that had appeared in front of her. She had a small moment of weakness. And within those few seconds, Pan had found her. She didn't have time to scold herself – or to think how unfair it was that he had found her so quickly.

"Stay away from me," Lilith demanded, watching how Pan tilted his head a small amount before walking in a circle towards her.

Lilith reciprocated his movements and mirrored them. They were circling each other before Pan let out a sigh of disappointment. "You know I'm going to get what I want," Pan stated with a smirk, "Just give up now and…"

He was interrupted when Lilith shot at him with white energy. He quickly teleported away from getting hit before reappearing a few steps to the left of where he was standing previously. He watched as the magic attack hit the forest of trees on the other side of the river. It made a blinding flash of light before setting the trees on fire.

"I _meant_ what I said," Lilith hissed out, her hand that was holding her sword up started to tremble. Pan's eyebrow raised with interest as his eyes fell on the sword before he met eye contact with the girl. "I'm not going back with you," she stated, making her hand stop trembling. She now held her sword with a hidden resolve that Pan had loathed.

"That's where you're wrong," Pan said, not daring to move from the spot he was standing at. He knew she had magic now, although he had an already growing suspicion before. After all, she got away from his shadow's clutches, when nobody should have. "You _will_ come back with me, because you belong in Neverland now."

Lilith narrowed her eyes. She brought her free hand up and ignited it with a white spark, "I don't belong there," she muttered, not in the mood to deal with him. "I don't see your shadow with you, Pan," she said, making Pan look over at her with a smirk. "Deciding on sneaking up on me?"

Pan let out a small shrug, his smirk never leaving his face. He was proud that she was deciding to strategize – he supposed it was because of something that he did. Already she was starting to become like him because of the heart ceremony. "Well, I suppose that's why you have magic at the ready?" He asked, his eyes darting over towards her free hand. It was lit with a small white flame.

"Why not fight me fair and square?" Lilith said, knowing that she trusted her skills as a swordsman far better than her power as a magic user. It took all of her control to contain a small fire on the palm of her hand. Any more magic power, and she was sure that she could lose it all and Pan would undoubtedly take her back to Neverland when that happened.

She wouldn't lie and say that she wasn't scared of her magic. It was a big change to her unique lifestyle. Pan would see the loss of control as weakness – which it would be – and capture her in no time. And she'd rather have that not happen to her.

"Is that a challenge?" Pan asked, placing a hand out to his side. A sword appeared in less than a second. Green smoke was left over from his magic, and he looked up greedily at the girl in front of him. "You have _no_ _idea_ what you've gotten into."

Lilith didn't take his threat seriously. She had never fought him before, so she didn't exactly know the limits of what he could do. Still, she was a great swordsman and she was eager to prove that to him.

"No magic," she commented.

Pan only stared into the girl's eyes, his smirk ever growing. "No magic," he stated, licking his lips at the chance of getting to use his own skills. Of course, his shadow was keeping its distance. It wasn't as if he needed his magic – not when he was an expert swordsman. Still, he only held up his word when he was in the Enchanted Forest and he was running out of time with the sand still falling. Should the opportunity arise, he would use magic.

The girl narrowed her eyes, choosing at that moment to charge at the teenager.

He brought up his sword, and steel tasted steel.

"Is that all you got?" He taunted with a big grin.

The girl let out a growl before pushing down on her own sword to lower his. She took a chance to look at his face to see his reaction, but was only greeted with his own amusement. Narrowing her eyes once more, she quickly took a few steps back just as he swung quickly at her. She hadn't even seen the weapon move, all she felt was the wind.

This could be harder than she thought….

* * *

 **(Present)**

"Kongol!" Water Lily screeched, making Tiger Lily's throat tighten. He was Water's husband; the toughest warrior in the village.

And he was gone because of Pan.

And the only reason he was here in the first place was because of Tiger.

"Shame," Pan muttered, looking down at the corpse. He then decided to shrug his shoulders and looked over at his queen. She was looking intently down at the ground, biting her tongue purposefully. She wouldn't say anything. To her, she didn't have the right to – this happened because of her.

"Lil…" He trailed, tossing his sword down at the ground. It plummeted into the ground a good foot or so before stopping. "It's time to go."

"You didn't have to kill him," Tiger whispered, her throat becoming scratchy. She knew Kongol since he was a little boy. He was a proud and confident warrior. He didn't deserve the death that he got. The man was practically the kindest man in the entire village, if it was up to her, he didn't deserve to die at all.

Pan teleported beside the girl and tilted her head up with his hand. "I was showing him the mercy of a fast and clean death," he commented, looking into her remorseful eyes. He saw the sorrow about the man's death, but she decided to intelligently hold all her opinions to herself. "Besides, he was willing to fight for you."

Tiger struggled against the magic holding her back to the tree, "If you think I'm going back with you after you've killed one of my own…" She trailed dangerously, desperately trying to get out of the spell binding.

"I wasn't aware that he was a Lost Boy?" Pan asked rhetorically, a devious smirk placed on his face. He stood up and glanced over at Water Lily, who was still frozen in place. Tears were flowing down her face, and her eyes spelled out absolute detestment for the teen boy. "As for your earlier statement; I think you'll find that you will want to hold up to our deal."

"You touch her, Pan…" She warned, trying to bring her feet underneath her. "You even _think_ about touching her-!"

Pan quickly placed his hand on her face gently and looked down at her, "Lil, I never knew that you were the jealous type!" He teased again.

She had no other words to speak. He was in no condition to hear her seriously. He was always giddy after killing a native. It meant one less 'savage' on Neverland - the world that he controlled. The natives were just an infestation to him – he saw them less than human.

Tiger snatched her face away from the teen's grasp. The fire in her eyes were still lit, and he let out a small shrug of indifference at her rebelliousness. "Don't worry, you still have my heart," he added, standing up from his crouched position, "Half of it, in fact."

He waved his hand in front of him, and soon the two of them were back in the Lost Boy's camp.

"Tiger!" Henry yelled, running over to her and held onto her in a tight grip.

"Henry…?" She asked, looking over at the young boy who had just embraced her. She hugged him back genuinely, glad that he was safe. They pulled away and Henry looked into her eyes with a frown, "What's wrong?" Tiger demanded to know, placing her hands on his shoulders.

Pan walked over to the two of them with a small grin, "Henry is going to participate in target practice," he commented, looking over at the young boy who looked down at the ground, "Aren't you?"

Tiger blinked and then looked over at Pan with a growl. She was confused at first, not sure why target practice was seen as bad. It was then that she realized that Pan was converting Henry to become a Lost Boy.

She stood up shakily and clenched her fists at her sides, "No, he's not," she snarled out, not liking that the boy was forcing to be Pan's next pet.

"Oh, Lil, you can't do anything to stop me," Pan chastised with a smirk, "My camp. My rules. Our contract still stands, you see, about the native girl?" He rhetorically asked, making Tiger narrow her eyes at the teenager. "Water Lily, was it?" He asked sarcastically.

"I _know_ about the contract," Tiger hissed, looking down at the ground. The agreement that he spared her tribal sister's life in exchange for her to stay at his camp. It was true that it was his camp – and inside of it she would need to abide by his unfair rules – not matter what they were. A thought occurred to her. In the past, she had been loyal to Pan because she didn't have a reason to fight.

She looked up at Pan and held her head up high, "I just need to give you a reason to push me out," she stated, making the teenager only hold his smirk on his face. It was a look that told her 'good luck' in the most sarcastic way imaginable. Still, she wasn't one to not try and escape her tormentor. She was Tiger Lily, one of the natives.

Walking away from him, she spared him one last dark gaze before entering a tent.

Pan watched her retreat away from him, all the while wondering what exactly she was planning. She was dangerous when she was awake; but left with her thoughts was even more so. He trained her to become the savage that she was today.

Merciless and ruthless with her skills and tactics.

Henry walked after her, not caring to be left alone with the teenaged boy. Pan watched as he left but didn't seem to care too much. "I hope you give me a game that I won't forget," he stated, his eyes drifting over to the tent that the boy and the girl had entered.

A thought suddenly occurred to him - why was it that he allowed Henry to be near her to begin with?

A sly smirk appeared on his face. It wasn't as if this was the only camp that he had in Neverland. He could easily separate the two of them where they would never find each other. Then, Tiger's resolve to protect would easily turn to dust. He had seen it happen in the past, after all. When things would look bleak, it was only a matter of time before she fell.

"You challenge _me_ , and now _I'll_ challenge _you_."

 **To be continued…**


	12. Reindeer Games

**A/N: Another update! Thanks for the reviews/follows/ and favorites! Means a lot to me!**

 **I am in love with the name Aleks. It's like Alex but way cooler.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

I was meant to be yours!  
We were meant to be one!  
I can't make this alone!  
Finish what we've begun!  
You were meant to be mine!

~Heathers Musical "Meant to be Yours"

* * *

Ch. 12: Reindeer Games

 **(Past)**

Waking up in a tent wasn't on Lilith's list of vital things to do. And if it was a tent, then she had a growing suspicion to where she was. All she could remember was that her and Pan were fighting in the Enchanted Forest.

And then…nothing.

She sat up, her head throbbing consistently as she did so. Her hand went up to her head and she wanted to curl up and rest. Maybe she could sleep away her problems and pretend that none of it was real. That Peter Pan doesn't exist or Neverland was never real to begin with. She could sum it all up to being a horrible nightmare that she couldn't wake up from.

Suddenly, there was a stinging pain in her lower abdomen. She looked down and noticed that there was blood streaming down her body. Letting out a small stiffened exhale to prevent herself from screaming out from the discomfort, she lifted up her shirt to find a gaping sword-sized hole inside of her mid-section.

The pain was unbearable.

It must have been the dark bruises from being back in Neverland, and also the hole of the where the sword must have gone through.

However, before she had time to react badly to the wound, there was a coldness that enveloped her body. It caused her to look away and close her eyes from the intense coldness. This was the first time she had ever experience magic healing up a wound of hers firsthand.

She looked back down and found that the sword wound was healed up. She placed a hand to where it was; not believing that it was gone. Her exposed skin was soft; as if she had never been injured to begin with. Slowly pulling down her shirt, she stared blankly ahead of her for a few seconds.

Confused, she stood up, wondering how the pain and wound had vanished so quickly.

Faintly, she remembered exactly what had happened. They had been fighting for what appeared to be hours, and just as she blocked his attack with her sword, he summoned his shadow to stun her for a brief few seconds. He then took that chance and plunged his sword into her lower abdomen.

She walked to where she suspected the exit of the tent was; only to find it sealed. "Pan!" She yelled, pounding her hands on the thick fabric in front of her. She was angry at the fact that he had disrespected their agreement about not using magic. His shadow had definitely counted as magic, and she shook her head in disbelief.

Leave it to Pan to cheat whenever and wherever he could.

There was a sound of a bird from behind her. Its feathers ruffled, as if just suddenly landing on the spot.

The sound took her by surprise, and she quickly turned around. Her heart was beating out of her chest, and she cautiously took a few steps to investigate. There was one lone bird in front of her, tilting its head at her. Its unwavering gaze was enough to send shivers through her soul. The oddest thing about the bird was that it had three eyes at the top of its head.

"Pan!" It mocked, opening its beak ever so slightly.

Taken aback, she took a step away from the bird. It wasn't a normal bird; that much was obvious. Not many birds could mock words. Lilith didn't want to say anything more in fear of the thing in front of her repeating it. She found it ominous, and she didn't want to stay in the tent with it any longer.

Swallowing a nervous lump in her throat, she darted her eyes away from the odd creature. She began to look for a way out, only to find no seams on the tent. It was as if the tent never had an exit or an entrance to begin with. Summing It up to magic, she didn't question it and instead quickly turned back to the bird.

There were now two.

She narrowed her eyes, and wondered if it was all just in her head.

"Where is your home?" Asked one bird.

Lilith wasn't sure how to respond to the thing in front of her. She blinked and stared at the bird, "What?" She asked, trying to find a weapon or something that she could use to fend off the thing in front of her. There was a rule in Neverland; anything could be an enemy.

After searching the tent with her eyes and patting herself down for any weapons she may have still had on her, she let out a long exhale from her nose. There wasn't a trace of any weapons, and she knew that Pan had taken her sword and other small knives that she had used in the Enchanted Forest.

"Where is your home?" Asked the other bird.

It had interrupted her thought process, and she looked back up at the birds. It was as if she were being tested, and surely Pan was behind this entire scheme. She knew what he wanted her to say – she knew where this game was going. He wanted her to say Neverland, if their conversation back in the Enchanted Forest proved anything about his intentions.

"London," she answered fearlessly.

"Neverland is your home," Replied the first bird.

"Where is your home?" Asked the next bird.

Lilith frowned at the birds in front of her. She answered the question, she didn't understand why it was being asked again. She shook her head and backed up, "London!" She yelled out, making a third bird appear in front of her in a cloud of green smoke.

"Neverland is home," stated the next bird.

"Neverland is your home," said the first bird as it ruffled its feathers.

"Where is your home?" Asked the second bird.

The girl's eyes widened at what was happening. Pan was brainwashing her. He was actually brainwashing her to believe what he wanted her to. She shook her head again, she had to stay strong. She wouldn't give in to his newest ploy to break her.

"London," she said confidently, and as soon as she said it, another bird appeared on cue.

The same statements were being said, all in different forms. Lilith kept denying it, and kept saying the response that the birds wouldn't accept. Because if she said what the birds wanted, that would be giving into Pan.

She _wouldn't_ give into Pan.

But she wasn't sure how long she could last.

Before she knew it, there were around thirty birds in the tent, and Lilith was on her knees with her hands over her ears. She hoped that it would work, but there were too many birds that she wasn't blocking out anything. Even though their voices were muffled to her, she could still make out what they were saying.

Tears started flowing out of her eyes. She didn't want to give into him – that was the absolute worst thing that she could do to herself and to her family and friends. Accepting this situation that she was in would be dismissing them. And deep down, she was afraid of what would happen if Pan's tactic would work. Would she lose herself?

Would she forget London once again?

The Enchanted Forest?

"Stop…" She whispered, but her voice seemed to squeak from her uncontrolled fears and emotions. A sob broke through, and she grabbed the ground underneath her to steady herself. "This is torture, Pan, and you know it is!" She muttered, closing her eyes.

She had to stay strong, but she found it to be the hardest thing to do with voices yelling in her ears on what to think – what to believe.

It got to the point where she felt that she was doing something bad by saying 'London', that she was disappointing the birds in front of her. She wanted their acceptance. She wanted this entire thing to stop. Slamming her fists on the ground she replied with a shaky, "L-Lo-ond-don," and another bird appeared in front of her.

The process repeated, and soon the girl couldn't take anymore. Her hands dug into the soil that was underneath her. She hated listening to their cries, their repeated statements. Neverland this. Neverland that. Then, there was silence, and the girl looked up to see the first bird that appeared in front of her at the beginning.

Or at least, she thought it was. They had all looked the same, but this one seemed to be the only one staring at her the entire time. Maybe Pan was looking at her through the three eyes of the bird? He must have been watching her from somewhere.

"Where is your home?"

Lilith answered without thinking, "…Neverland," She answered, and then looked down at the ground in defeat. She was afraid to say London. She was afraid of disappointing the birds. Then, without any warning, another question appeared.

"Who do you belong to?"

"What…?" Lilith asked, looking up at the first bird.

"Who do you belong to?" It asked, not caring if it sounded like a broken record.

Lilith's breath hitched in her throat.

 _No_.

"Myself," Lilith answered honestly.

"You are Tiger Lily," Answered the second bird.

"Who do you belong to?" Asked the first one.

Lilith looked around, trying to find the source of her torment. All she found was the tent that she was being trapped in. She shakily stood up and walked over to where one of the edges of the tent was. Her hands grabbed the corner and tried to rip it apart. It wouldn't budge.

"Who do you belong to?"

She wouldn't answer it, but she knew what the birds wanted her to say. She wouldn't believe it, no matter how many times they would say it over and over again.

"Myself!" She yelled, she stayed determined about her answer.

"Tiger Lily belongs to Peter Pan."

"You are Tiger Lily."

"Who do you belong to?"

Lilith let out a small whimper before sliding against the tent with her back. All of the birds had followed her and now sat in front of her in a semi-circle. She wouldn't say that. She couldn't. This was truly the lowest that Pan had sunk as of yet.

What was worse, was that if the first question had worked, then the second question would as well. Already she couldn't even remember what London looked like, despite visiting there quite recently. Placing her hands on her head in agony, she clenched the sides of her head with her fingers.

"Who do you belong to?"

"Who do you belong to?"

"Who do you belong to?"

All of the birds started to chant, making the girl close her eyes tightly. She wanted to be anywhere. Anywhere but here. She placed her knees up and buried her head in them. Tears fell from her face, and she realized just how truly weak she really was. She wasn't strong. She should have stayed back with Prince Leopold.

Maybe then, Pan wouldn't have found her.

No, Pan would have found her eventually, she already knew this.

The only thing that staying with Prince Leopold would have done was prolonging the inevitable to happen. Because Pan would always find her and bring her right back here.

There really would be no escape for her.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Emma couldn't sleep that night. She kept hearing this faint crying, and only she was hearing it. Mary Margret and David weren't hearing anything. They were sleeping soundly in the tent. Regina was sleeping near the exit of the tent, but she was still sleeping.

Letting out a small grumble, she opened the flaps of the tent and stepped out. She didn't expect for the professor to be sitting on a rock and staring at the camp fire. Or rather, the dying camp fire. The smoke floated up into the sky and the man seemed to stare through it, obviously in thought. The woman let out a frown and walked over to the man who was staring into space. "Can't sleep?"

Fin looked over at the woman and let out a smile. "Not at all," he admitted, "The Lost Boys are keeping me up tonight," he replied with a shake of his head. Emma stared into the embers at the bottom of the bonfire, taking in the information and then looked back over at Fin. She rose an eyebrow and he gave a small apologetic smile, "Sorry, I guess you can hear them, too?" He asked, although it came out as more of a statement.

"How?" Emma asked, and Fin suddenly stood up from his rock and looked over towards where the crying was coming from. To him, it seemed as if it were much too close than it should be. Pan was up to something – or playing a twisted game with them. "What's up?" She asked, suddenly worried as she stood up. "What's wrong? Do you see something?"

"More like a feeling, really," Fin muttered, straightening his suit before walking over to the jungle. Emma glanced over at the tent where the rest of her party was sleeping. She decided that she wouldn't wake them; whatever was out here she was sure that Fin and her could handle it. Her eyes followed the back of her friend and she followed behind him at a close distance. She tripped over a rock and almost lost her footing and balance before quickly managing to recover from it.

He let out a chuckle before glancing back at her, "You're not good at sneaking around here, are you?" He asked with a small teasing smile. Her eyes glanced over at him, not understanding what he was insinuating. He waved her off and readjusted his spectacles, "Forget it," he muttered, shaking his head as he stepped over a thorn bush.

Emma did the same, just now noticing the thorn bush because he made an effort to step over it. Holding in a grumble of frustration at her lack of observation, she kept her eyes forward. She wouldn't make the same mistake again.

They reached a small clearing, and Fin glanced around it. He was sure he was feeling a surge of darkness around this area. Or, more distinctly, Pan. He looked over to Emma, and she shrugged her shoulders. The crying started to get louder, putting the two adults on edge.

"Old Dent; same emotions it would seem," Pan stated, appearing in front of them. "You never _could_ stomach the cries of my boys."

Fin quickly looked in front of him to see the immortal teenager and he let out a glare, "Where is my sister?" He demanded, a certain darkness in his eyes. He took a few steps forward and tried to appear intimidating at the teen.

Pan merely observed him for a few seconds before taking a few steps himself. "Has it occurred to you that she still would have been free if you had _never_ come back to Neverland?" He asked, only speaking the truth. He watched at the man's face contorted into anger and then realization. It then converted back to anger.

"Where. Is. She?" He ordered, his hand reaching towards his sword, "I'm not in the mood to play your games, Pan!" When his hand reached nothing, he quickly looked up to see Pan holding his weapon. The teenager was inspecting it, as if it were the first time he had seen a sword.

The man let out a growl at being defenseless.

Pan looked up at him with mock innocence on his face, "Oh? You were looking for this, right?" He asked, feigning confusion. It then disappeared when a growing vicious smirk appeared on his face, "Sorry, can't have a pirate be armed…" He trailed before letting out a chuckle as if finding his words humorous. "Now, _that_ would be a good insult for Hook, wouldn't it?"

Emma glanced over at Fin, unaware of his background. The only thing the woman knew was that the man was a professor at a university. She should have known that the man's relation to Hook was more than a coincidence; it takes a pirate to _know_ a pirate.

"Enough with stalling," Fin hissed out, making Pan throw the sword behind his back, as if discarding the object uncaringly. It disappeared in a puff of green smoke. "Where is my sister?"

"I believe that she's reunited with Henry," Pan commented in thought, "Of course, I had to leave her to welcome you back to Neverland, Dent," he stated, a grin spreading across his face. "I _am_ curious as to how you've escaped death."

"Where is Henry?" Emma asked, choosing a different approach for the time being. Pan glanced over at the woman with admiration. The first parent to chase after their kid to Neverland. Of course, none of Neverland's inhabitants ever left - and lived to tell about it.

The only two that had left were Balefire and Andrew.

Pan teleported in front of Emma, "He's safe," Pan commented, looking back over at Fin, who turned around to see where the devil of a teenager had went. Emma wasn't satisfied with that answer, and decided to take out her sword. She had practice with Hook and her father, she was sure she had the simple skills down.

She pinned him against a tree with her sword almost poking his throat.

"Where is he?!" She demanded, making the teenager look down at the sword. It was strange being on the receiving end of this tactic, he thought. He never understood why adults were so impatient. He and Tiger Lily were always playing a game, whereas these adults hated the mere idea of it.

Another reason why he _hated_ adults.

Still, the woman proved that the legends about her weren't wrong.

"You have the fire of a savior," he responded, making Emma furrow her eyebrows in confusion. That wasn't the reaction she was expecting. It was as if the teenager in front of her wasn't afraid of death. To Emma, it was almost like he wasn't even human. "I _like_ fire," he added with a smirk.

Emma glanced over at Fin for a second, who was standing incredibly still. She turned her attention back on the grinning teenager, "Yeah?" She asked, readjusting her grip on the handle, " _Well_ , I _don't_ like you," she threatened.

" _Well_ , that's just your initial opinion," Pan argued, using her choice of words against her. Emma hadn't realized that he disappeared until her sword fell against the tree. It was as if he were using some sort of after-image trick on her. In one second he was a solid form, and the next he had instantly turned transparent. Without the teenager holding the weapon up, the weight changed. Emma looked around and couldn't find him.

"A lot of people don't like you, Pan," Fin said to the air, knowing that the teenager could still hear them. "Why don't you give Emma and Regina back their son. Unlike you, they actually _care_ for their offspring," he spat out, already knowing who exactly Pan was. It was sickening to think that someone the physical age of himself was obsessed over his sister.

Pan let out a dark chuckle before he materialized a few feet away on top of a large boulder. "Of course I care for Rumple…" He stated with a small shrug. In his hands, he held a scroll up for the adults to see, "And in Neverland, you _really_ shouldn't fight like a savior," he lectured with a smirk, "Another word that begins with an ' _S_ '; go ahead and take a _guess_."

Fin clenched his fists and tried to take a swing at the teenager. He was stopped a foot away when Pan's shadow stopped the attack before it was even close to hitting its target. Fin stared into the eyes of the thing that took him to Neverland in the first place. Its white eyes stared into his blue brilliant ones. The man wasn't scared of the shadow any more, and he found his younger self far too naïve to have been terrified over it.

"Not how _I_ would have played the game, but I suppose an example would do," Pan remarked, darting his eyes towards where the brother was. His hands and arms were shaking, no doubt from how hard he was forcing himself against the shadow. He wanted to hit the teenager in front of him; that was his one goal in life. After all the trouble and heartbreak he had caused both himself and his sister, it was what the demon deserved. "Dent has the right idea, savior," Pan said, looking over at the blonde haired woman.

"You have to fight like a savage," he answered his own small riddle. He tossed the paper over to Emma, who caught it effortlessly. "If you want to find Henry, follow that map. When you come to terms with who you really are, it will lead you to what you want."

Emma quickly tore the small string holding the scroll in place. When it unrolled, it was a blank piece of paper. "It's blank!" She complained, looking back up only to find the teenager gone. Fin was still being held in place by an invisible force before he was dropped mercilessly on the ground.

The man hit the ground hard, his glasses almost flying off his face. Emma quickly ran over to him to help him up, "Are you okay?" She asked, offering him a hand.

"I'm still no step closer to finding my sister…" He muttered, looking back up at the hand with a small glare. The only thing that was driving him was the hope that he would find her.

And he _would_ find her.

"She's with Henry and they're safe," Emma said with a small smile, "When we find Henry, we'll find Tiger Lily," she insisted, raising the man's spirits. He took her hand, but pulled himself up mostly with his own strength. She was right. And they would find their family members.

Pan was going to lose this game.

* * *

 **(Past)**

"Who do you belong to?" Asked the bird for the fifty-second time.

Lilith shook her small body, all of her will power was leaving her. She looked over at the bird with a vacant look in her eyes. She was done with answering questions or ignoring them. "Pan," she whispered out, holding her knees up to her chest stiffly. "I belong to Pan," she repeated, her sobs escaping her loudly.

"That's all I wanted to hear, Tiger Lily," Pan's voice came from behind her. But she couldn't look up without breaking down. He placed a hand on her shoulder and crouched down to see the teenager. "I think that we can start over, what do you say?" He asked, placing a hand on her chin and lifting it up slowly.

The second her eyes met his, she felt fear. The urge to run away – far far away – flooded into her mind. It seemed to overwhelm her, and soon she started to tremble. The desire to escape him was even more prominent than before. She felt that something bad would happen if she stayed.

A second later, his eyes narrowed.

He was telling her to give into him.

Another second passed and she slowly averted his eyes in submission. He let out a triumphant smirk at his victory over the teenager. She lost all the capability to escape him; and her body relaxed in front of him. Pan took this moment of serenity between the two of them to look her over for any damages from the Enchanted Forest.

She had aged a small amount from being away from Neverland. She was a few months away from reaching fifteen. He saw that the half of his heart was holding up nicely; the wounds that he had inflected to knock her out had healed fully. He knew that he lost a small amount of time with her disappearing, but it wasn't as if she would be leaving Neverland again.

When his eyes glanced down to her trembling hands, he noticed the glimmering piece of jewelry. Letting out a growl of dominance, he knew he needed to destroy that thing as soon as possible. An item from true love wasn't something to be taken lightly. If she somehow looked at it one day, and old feelings came to the surface, then his brainwashing would be all for nothing.

"Give me the ring," Pan demanded, making Lilith shake her head instinctively.

"You are going to give me that ring, Lily," he demanded darkly as his eyes darted over to her left hand. She followed his eyes, as if forgetting that she was wearing one. As soon as her eyes laid on it, she tensed up. She shook her head again, and placed her hands up to her chest. She was going to protect this ring, even if she didn't quite remember why it was important.

"N-No," she squeaked out.

Pan narrowed his eyes, "Who do you belong to?" He asked, his voice growing dark. He would take it from her by force if he had to.

The effect was instant, and she slowly placed her hands down. She slid off the ring and offered it to him. The brainwashing was going smoothly, but then again, Peter Pan never failed. "I belong to you," she whispered, her voice becoming hallow.

"Yes, you do," Pan agreed, accepting the ring with his open palm. He clenched it in his hand and turned it to dust as he opened it again. The dust particles fell off his hand and onto the ground. Lilith watched the remnants of the ring fall lifelessly.

"Now, answer me honestly, Lily," he stated, bringing up his pipes up to his mouth. He blew gently into the instrument, and her eyes widened at the music invading her ears. "Do you hear that?" He asked with a smirk when he saw the even more vacant look in her eyes.

She suddenly smiled an empty smile with dead eyes, much like the other Lost Ones did when they heard the music. "Yes!" She exclaimed, finding the music lovely. Even though it was a bunch of different notes clashing together. It sounded like the most beautiful thing that she had ever heard. It was only because Pan was playing it that she found it mesmerizing.

Pan then leaned in close to her. She wasn't aware what was happening ever since hearing the music. He knew that she had loved him once, and he used that love to his advantage for her to perform the heart ceremony.

Now, he needed her to stay with him.

Whether she wanted to or not was not up to her.

His lips brushed hers, and he pushed her onto the ground. He forced his mouth into hers, and her eyes widened with panic. She tried to push him off, knowing that this was wrong. That this wasn't who she was supposed to be with.

A boy dressed in English clothing flashed in her mind.

He lifted his mouth away and glared at her. She was still fighting, but already he could feel that everything that made her strong was disappearing. Soon enough she would become a blank canvas that he could freely paint to his likings.

"Don't fight it, Lily," he ordered, making the girl freeze at her master's command. She belonged to Pan, and she would do whatever it was that he wanted of her. Her arms slowly lowered to her side, and the teen let out a dark smirk at his brainwashing taking effect.

"See? That wasn't so hard," he muttered, bringing his lips back on top of hers.

Her eyes started to water, and tears rolled down her cheeks, he noticed this and pulled away again. He wiped one of her tears with his hand. "Thinking about that Thomas lad?" He asked, and she glanced her eyes over at him. Her eyes were wide and she couldn't help but respond to him. She let out a stiff nod before Pan grabbed her face sternly.

She let out a flinch and looked fearfully up at him. His grip on her was tense and powerful and she couldn't fight it. "Forget about him," he ordered, and like all the other commands, she obeyed without thinking. He saw how she didn't respond, how despondent she was. He licked his lips before bringing his mouth back down on the girl.

There was no doubt that she would stay with him now.

That she would be devoted to him.

His smirk spread across his lips as he was in the middle of asserting himself; she would be completely loyal only to _him_.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Tiger was walking through the camp with a small glare on her face. She was upset that she hadn't seen Henry all morning. Felix was kind enough to inform her that Henry had been placed in a different camp. She was angry and extremely pissed off that she was separated from Neal's son.

Still, what could she have done?

In a camp with Peter Pan as the leader, she was a prisoner more than she'd like to admit.

She didn't manage to go past the campfire before Peter Pan grabbed her by her upper arm and hauled her backwards. Tiger slid backwards a few feet and was momentarily confused as to why she had stopped moving. Her answer was in front of her with raised eyebrows in what appeared to be amusement.

"Poisoning the Lost Boys?" Pan asked, although Tiger knew what exactly was going on.

"What a shame, Pan," Tiger began, a devious sparkle in her eyes, "It appears as though you'll need to put off that target practice," she muttered as she let out a dangerous scowl. "Damn," she added insult to injury.

Pan let out a small shrug, "It doesn't matter to me _when_ I start training Henry," he muttered so that only Tiger could hear it. She watched how he leaned in close to her, and she tried to take a step back. She was painfully aware that Pan still held her arm tightly when he refused to let her gain any distance. No doubt there were bruise marks where his fingers were at this point. "What I'm amused about is why you decided to _only_ _poison_ them," he said, making Tiger narrow her eyes.

"Because I'm not as savage as you make me out to be," Tiger responded hastily.

"Or maybe because you don't want Henry's golden opinion changing of you," Pan added, making the girl's eyes widen at the mere mention of the boy. "You're afraid of what might happen if you _taint_ it."

Tiger quickly pulled her arm away from Pan with a growl. He watched her with amused eyes and she wanted to wipe away the smile that seemed to appear on his face. They stared at each other for a few seconds and she knew that he was mocking her. "I'm not afraid of anything."

Pan let out a small shake of his head, as if he were lecturing the girl in front of him, "Except losing those close to you," he reaffirmed, making Tiger narrow her eyes at the teenager. "Water Lily, Dent, Hook…" He listed before he smirked deviously at the girl in front of him. "Let's not forget _Baelfire_."

"I'm not _afraid_ of _anything_ ," Tiger restated, confident in her answer.

That was what a warrior was supposed to answer with. She wasn't supposed to have any weakness, but she knew that was incorrect. And if she knew it, then Pan absolutely knew it. He was right, she was scared about her small human side. At how fast it had come to surface since she had met Henry and how he affected her on a psychological level.

She was terrified that she would be too human to take down Pan. Maybe she couldn't kill him when the opportunity presented itself because the kid had planted his heroic ideals inside of her head. Yet, if she couldn't kill him, she could be letting down everyone who had been tormented by Pan.

Pan knew that she was changing – she should have killed off some of the boys to not give him any clues on her psychological state.

" _Afraid_ to be _afraid_?" Pan challenged with a raised eyebrow.

Tiger growled out at the teenager before walking away, making Pan chuckle darkly at knowing how true his words were. It was only a matter of time before she broke down, and he would be there with open arms to bring her back to him. Of course, if he gave her a shove to tip her over the edge, it wasn't as if she could fight against him.

Not when he would rip away everyone she cares about one by one.

* * *

 **(Past)**

"Andrew, I'm sure we were supposed to turn a left back at that mossy rock," Hook instructed, making the eighteen year old turn around with a smirk on his face. He had messy long brown locks that started to curl. He raised his sword up to the air, "Bloody hell, here we go…" Hook trailed, already knowing what was about to happen. The pirate had practically raised the boy in front of him, and he knew where he adapted the cocky attitude from.

Hook had no one to blame but himself.

"Says the one-handed pirate with no direction!" Andrew mused out before jumping down from the ledge that he was on. He looked down at Hook with a confident smile. "I reckon' this is the right way!" He exclaimed, pointing his sword in a random direction.

Much like his surrogate father – the teenager also had no sense of direction.

The eighteen year old didn't take another step before hearing the chanting of the Lost Ones. Their howls of laughter made the pirates tense up; Andrew was no exception. Even though he faintly remembered the events ten years ago, they were a little hazy.

Pan's savages were gaining on them; and Hook knew better than to run from their welcoming party.

Lily jumped down from a tree with a sword prepped and ready to use. She aimed it at the throat of Andrew without hesitating. "Pirates!" Lily greeted, extending a hand over to the captain of the pirates himself. "Peter Pan extends a warm welcome," Lily stated, taking her sword back to her holster.

" _This_ is a warm welcome?" Hook muttered, looking at about twenty Lost Ones ready to attack his crew of pirates. He made no move to shake the hand that the girl was offering, and Lily looked down at her hand questionably. She was looking for blood or something else that might have offended the company.

After finding nothing, she rubbed the hand on her leggings with a shrug.

A short blonde haired Lost One pushed the small group of boys with a thin smile on his face. He told Pan that this would happen. That sending an eighth of their members would intimidate new people; but Pan liked playing his games. He wasn't on Neverland for long, but he had quickly gained Pan's trust. His name was Aleks.

"Pan has a strange way of dealing with new people," Aleks responded as he walked over to the captain of the group. The eighteen year old with short blonde hair put away his sword. "Allow me to lead the way to camp," Aleks said with a welcoming smile on his face.

Without giving a warning of retreat, the Lost Ones all started to vanish into the trees. As suddenly as the gang of teenagers had come, they had left. Aleks and Lily remained, and Lily noticed that Aleks was already going back to camp. The fourteen year old girl gave a stern glance at Andrew before walking behind Aleks. Her hands clasped behind her back as she quickly tried to keep with her friend.

Andrew glanced at his surrogate father, and Hook shrugged his shoulders before jolting his head towards where the retreating teenagers had went into the woods. The young pirate shrugged his own shoulders and decided to follow them. Hook signaled the rest of his men to follow cautiously after the teenagers.

After all, in Neverland you can't ever trust anyone.

Not even the children that seemed to be benign in appearance.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Tiger didn't know what else to do in camp. She had observed all the Lost Boys, and nothing had changed in the past twenty years. Either they were fighting with each other, or they were hunting. Letting out a small scoff, she knew there wasn't much to do in Neverland.

Unless, of course, you were brainwashed to be loyal to Pan.

Speaking of loyalty, her eyes wandered to where Felix had last been seen. She wouldn't be very surprised if the demon teenager used the same tactic as he used on her for Felix to get him to be loyal. Not finding any other sensible conclusion to why Felix would be so devoted, she rolled her eyes.

"Don't know where he found those birds…" She muttered, placing her arms behind her head to support it up. Looking around for Felix once again, she found that he had seemingly disappeared from camp.

Everyone was out of the camp today, and she was stuck there because of the deal she struck up with Pan. Despite her recent scheme for him to kick her out, he only found her antics amusing. She had no idea what else she could possibly do that didn't involve homicide.

 _He has this golden opinion of you, and you're afraid of what might happen if you taint it._

Letting out a deep growl from her throat, she narrowed her eyes at the camp fire in front of her. She wasn't afraid of some kid's opinion. Even if that kid believed in her when she lost all hope a long time ago.

She just didn't _feel_ like killing anybody lately.

Even though she had completely killed two Lost Boys not only a few days ago.

Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she felt her heart drop in realization. Her ideals for killing only changed when she had gotten close to the kid - Neal's kid at that.

The more she thought about what Pan had said, the more she found the truth in it. She was afraid of what the kid would think of her if he ever found out that she's killed before. Because if Henry ever found out that she was a savage – just like Pan had said – then he would think differently of her.

And he would look at her differently.

She couldn't handle that kind of betrayal.

Letting out a sigh and scratching the back of her head, she stood up from the log that she was sitting on. She needed to go out for a walk. She needed to do something. Just sitting and staring at the fire in boredom was taking a toll on her. Who knows, maybe that's some kind of punishment that Pan gave her.

Complete and ultimate boredom.

Her legs led her into the forest, and she had a sinking feeling that she was being watched. Possibly by Pan's shadow.

Her suspicions were confirmed.

"You need to head back to camp," Felix ordered as he made himself visible by stepping out from behind a tree. Tiger glanced over at the teenager and raised an eyebrow challengingly at the teen. It wasn't _exactly_ Pan's shadow, but you couldn't say that Felix wasn't considered as one.

"I don't need a sitter," Tiger hissed out, turning her head completely to face the teen. She eyed that he wasn't armed, and she narrowed her eyes at this.

Pan didn't want him armed.

Why?

Felix let out an exasperated sigh, "Just head back to camp, Lil," he said in a weak tone.

Tiger crossed her arms, "No," she answered adamantly, making Felix glare over at her at defiant actions. "Where the hell is everyone today?"

"That's none of your business," Felix said in a strong, authoritative voice. The underlying tone was clear – Pan didn't want her to know, so she wasn't told. Yet, the fact that she wasn't told about why everyone and their shadows left camp made her want to find out. "Why don't you head back to camp and wait for Pan to show?" He suggested, although Tiger knew it was more of an order.

"And why would I want to do that?" Tiger asked, walking over to Felix. The teenager started to take a few steps backward before he took a single step forward. The teen girl let out a dark chuckle and stopped her pursuit. "Are you _seriously_ trying to lead _me_ into a _trap_?" She asked, recognizing the step patterns.

She looked up near the roof of the trees and found that there was a net trap. It was laced with a dripping liquid, and Tiger quickly withdrew a step just as a drop hit the ground. The dark purple color to the liquid was all the indication that the girl needed.

"Dreamshade?" She asked with a demeaning smile spreading across her face, "I never knew how much you cared…" She drawled out, not impressed in the slightest that there were possible traps around the camp.

Pan didn't trust her.

And she didn't trust him.

Which was blatantly obvious considering their past together – but what peaked her interest is that he absolutely didn't want her to leave camp for the time being. Which only meant one thing; he was planning something with the natives, or with Henry's family.

"Go back to camp," Felix ordered darkly, and by the sound of his voice, he wouldn't repeat himself again. Tiger let out a small shrug of indifference, in all her time at Neverland, not once had she listened to Felix. It must have been the growing arrogance to his personality that he no doubt had adapted from Pan himself.

"Make me," she barked out, narrowing her eyes.

When her words left her lips, the two of them knew it would be a stalemate in the battle of words. However, actions were still up for debate. All it took was some magic on her end, and he would be down in a few seconds or less. Still, Felix wasn't one to be taken lightly, and if she messed up one simple attack, it could easily be her on the ground in defeat.

Both teens stood and stared at each other. Neither having a weapon, and the unwavering gaze between the two was instigating something to happen. Tiger let out a taunting laughter before she suddenly disappeared directly in front of Felix's eyes.

Upon her disappearance, he looked wildly around for the girl, but couldn't find her anywhere. He hadn't seen her fight with magic in a while, and assumed that she wouldn't use it now. If Pan were to ever hear that he underestimated her, then Felix wasn't sure if he would survive Pan's wrath.

"Well, Lil, I wasn't aware that you used Pan's magic…" He trailed, trying to pinpoint where she would resurface, "So dependably."

There was a sudden rush of wind that was coming at the teenager from his lower abdomen. His eyes widened with glee at how simple of a move she was performing. A roundhouse kick to the mid-section would take the wind out of the opponent and leave them gasping for breath. Tiger was predictable – it was a quick take down that all Lost Boys had learned; and he was the one that _taught_ _her_ that move.

He quickly blocked with an open palm before closing his hand around her foot harshly.

Her eyes widened, and she barely had time to recover before she was slammed back into a tree. It made a loud crack as the tree was splintered clean off. Felix had meant to knock her out with his attack, but found that she was slowly getting up.

He kept forgetting that fighting her was like fighting Pan.

She cracked her head to the side, hearing multiple bones getting cracked into place. Righting her head to face the front, she looked at the teenager in front of her with extreme hatred. Her eyes seemed to visibly darken, and she cracked her fists just as the tree behind her started to fall onto another one.

"I _don't_ depend on Pan's magic," Tiger muttered, before charging at Felix again. The teen boy could tell that what he had said got to the girl; to the extreme that she wouldn't use magic again. His eyes narrowed as he placed his fists in front of them and clenched them tightly.

He was aiming for the girl's weak point - her mid-section.

Just as she got close enough to the teen, he swung out towards her, making her clench her teeth and did a cartwheel backwards to avoid getting it. She knew what his strategy was, and she narrowed her eyes when she landed back on her feet. Slowly standing up fully, she glared at him. A quick take down was the only thing that Felix would do.

He wouldn't even try to fight her using his true skills.

"What's wrong?" Felix asked, drawing her out of her thoughts, "Thinking about your next move?" He asked, before letting out a deep frown. "I won't let you!" He yelled, charging mercilessly at the teen girl once again.

"Just how _dirty_ you keep fighting," Tiger mused, blocking his punch by placing her arms up in front of her. Just as his other fist tried to dive into her mid-section, she stopped it by jumping into the air and kicking the teen in the face. She did a backflip to land on her feet before bringing her hands up to her chest in clenched fists.

He stumbled back a few steps, but not before looking back over at her.

He spit out what appeared to be blood, and let out a small growl from the back of his throat.

Felix wiped the remaining blood from around his mouth with the back of his hand, "And here _you_ are fighting like a _dirty_ _native_ …" He growled, not liking that he wouldn't be able to predict her moves any more.

The natives of the island fought using improvisation. They used the elements around them to their advantage, and used unpredictable techniques that involved their fists and feet. They especially enjoyed kicking their opponents with brute force for a stunning attack.

Tiger's anger flared at those words, "The only _dirty_ _things_ around here is _Pan_ and his _savages_ ," she stated, knowing that bad mouthing Pan would get Felix riled up. She wasn't disappointed when he was charging after her with his fists raised. The girl had no doubt that if he had his battle axe, then he would have dismembered the limbs form her body.

She quickly kicked off from a tree just as he punched, and she tried to turn around mid-jump to round house kick him. Only except he quickly turned around and did the same thing to her. Both with the anger and intent to completely kill each other.

From their skill levels, it was the only thing that would end the fight. If they didn't fight all out, then no one would win.

Both teenagers landed on the ground a good distance away from one another. Each had bruises on their faces from the fight, and Tiger barely had enough strength to sit up.

After all, there was a good reason why Felix had fought with an axe in the first place; he wasn't a push over.

Tiger locked eyes with Felix as both were too tired to stand up. The girl's hand drifted across the ground and found a large enough rock. Felix's eyebrows raised up in amusement, "Resorting to rocks?" He taunted, and the girl only glared.

She threw the rock to the rope that would activate the trap that Felix had set. The teenaged boy realized too late what her plan was. His eyes widened just as the net came on top of him. The Dreamshade affected him immediately, slowly draining his remaining energy. "I know you drank that water when I stabbed you," she said, referring to the scar on his face. "You won't die from this."

"Since when do you care about not taking lives?" Felix scoffed out, rolling his eyes. "You and I both know that there's a trap that you planted years ago that will unleash a torrent of weapons."

Tiger remained silent, and instead saved her energy to slowly stand up on her feet.

"I'm not immortal like you and Pan are…One attack from that would have killed me. Hell, you could have used it in our small fight to your advantage…" He trailed, looking at her from the small holes in the rope, "But you didn't," he concluded, glaring over at her in suspicion. "Why?"

"I'm not a savage anymore," Tiger replied blatantly, walking away from the teenager who was stuck in a rope trap.

Felix let out a small chuckle in realization, "It's that _boy_ ," he hissed out in absolute detestment. " _Baelfire's_ son," he clarified.

Tiger stopped and looked back towards Felix with a glare, "If you knew, then why did you waste your breath?" She asked, leaving Felix in his thoughts as she disappeared into the darkness of the forest. The teenaged boy laid down on the ground and decided to look up at the sky.

"You're only giving him another person to take from you, Lil…" Felix spoke out before closing his eyes in remorse and regret.

 **To be continued...**


	13. To my beloved

**A/N: Welcome back to another update! It might have been a month or so, but to be honest I kind of forgot I had a fanfiction account because I was studying too hard! That, and binge watching Thirteen Reasons Why on Netflix.**

 **Thanks for your reviews, follows, and favorites! Means a lot to me!**

 **Warning: This chapter contains a character death.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

Our prayers meet no matter where we're going  
In unison they beat the sky is glowing  
Above our thoughts we'll find a key together  
To fill the day with all the things we treasure

~ FF 13-2 Soundtrack "Plains of Eternity"

* * *

Ch. 13 To my beloved

 **(Past)**

"You've been to another world before?" Lily asked, walking over to Hook and Andrew. They, and the rest of their pirate crew were holding a cup of ale in their hands. It was a drink that the Lost Ones could never be allowed to swallow.

Pan stated that it was only for older people.

Of course, that was nonchalant way to order them to not drink it. Still, no one wanted to go against Pan, and so none of the Lost Ones even wanted to go near it. Except when they were welcoming adult guests to the island.

Hook slowly looked up at the young teenage girl in front of him. She had multiple scars on her exposed arms, and she folded her arms across her chest with an intent stare. Lily was aware when people noticed her battle scars. She wasn't sure where she got them; but it must have been a pretty bad injury, considering that with every wound that she got it would magically heal. It wouldn't leave a trace of what had happened.

"Aye," Hook confirmed with a slow growing smile on his face, "The Enchanted Forest, love," he stated, purposefully lowering his body closer to hers. The girl didn't pull away from what she assumed was intimidation.

There were far scarier things on Neverland than a drunken pirate.

He wouldn't have even scratched the top fifty list of things to avoid in Neverland.

"I don't think that it's much different from Neverland," Lily stated with a haughty smile on her face. Her smug overconfidence about knowledge overtook her. "After all, the Enchanted Forest has the word ' _forest_ ' in it," she said with a small shrug, placing her arms by her sides. "Neverland is basically made up of forest."

Hook stood up straight, bringing his body back to normal. He should have known that trying to scare and implement fear into the inhabitants of Neverland wouldn't work. They were far too gone in terms of having any humanity. They were fearless embodiments of weapons all held by the hands of Pan. "If that's what you think then I won't bother to sway your opinion…" He trailed cryptically on purpose to draw the girl in.

To make her want more.

Andrew shoved his elbow in his father's side with a glare of disapproval.

His tactic had worked.

"What do you mean? There's more?" Lily asked, sitting down in-between the two pirates on the log. She looked at Andrew and then over at Hook, "What else do they have?" She asked, her eyes widening from the excitement of adventure. "Aside from pirates, I mean," she said in a hurried and bored rush.

"Lily, it's time to hunt," Aleks stated as he walked over to the trio setting on the log. It was the first time that he looked at Andrew, and the teenager looked back at him. Both of their eyes widened at the same time in disbelief. They recognized each other instantly.

After all, they were childhood friends back in London.

Andrew furrowed his eyebrows, "Thomas?" He mouthed, and Aleks quickly looked away. The teen pirate understood perfectly; he didn't want his identity compromised. He must be here for his sister and was protecting her. Whereas he had left her here in Neverland selfishly.

At that thought, Andrew looked down at the ground. The promise of adventure was all that he needed to abandon his family to the monster dictator on the island. Despite the ten years that he was away and growing, she remained the same fourteen year old. He was ravaged with guilt and tried his best to not show it.

"I don't want to go," Lily replied in a rushed and hurried voice in annoyment. She wanted to keep sitting down on the log and hear more about the pirate's adventures in what was known as the Enchanted Forest.

She craved the excitement that the tales were about to bring her.

Hardly anything except Pan's games happened in Neverland.

"Pan requires your presence," Aleks commented, knowing that it would change the girl's opinion.

She would do anything for Peter Pan.

Aleks wanted to frown at that; she once had loved him the way she loves Pan. At least he was here for her to guard her from anything dangerous. He wanted to tell her about her true self. About the love that they shared. The fact that she didn't recognize him when he arrived at the camp was a big indicator that Pan had done something. It wasn't as if he could say anything about it, Pan's shadow could be watching his every move.

The girl immediately hopped up off the log and waved behind her at her new pirate friends, "I'll be back later! I want to hear all about it!" She yelled behind her before running into the deep forest that was to the right.

Andrew looked back up to greet his childhood friend, "You always _did_ like her," he commented, and Aleks looked back at him with a thin smile on his face. "You sneaky dog."

"She returned back to London recently…" He trailed, before sitting down on the log hopelessly. He placed his hand coated in dirt on his head, "We were actually engaged."

"You were what now?" Hook asked, looking over at the boy to his right with a raised eyebrow. This teenager was seeing more action than he was back in the Enchanted Forest. Hook was nowhere close to marrying anyone, and he doubted that he ever would.

Andrew let out a chuckle. "So you two were in love and about to get married, huh?"

Aleks let out a nod, "Until Pan came back and took her from me," he grumbled out, placing his hand down from his head. He was furious at that. "I saw them fly away from the house, and I tried to run after them."

"Sounds like a tale of true love taken away…" Hook muttered before taking a drink of his ale subtly.

"That's it!" Andrew yelled, suddenly slapping the back of the pirate as an idea came to mind on how to fix everything. Hook suddenly coughed, sending the drink contents onto his face. The man pulled the cup away slowly, the anger flashing in his unforgiving eyes.

"True love, right?" He asked in a small amount of excitement. Aleks nodded slowly, not understanding what his childhood friend was going on about. He sounded like an absolute maniac, and Aleks had his fair share of that from the other boys. "All you need is to kiss her!"

Aleks let out a scoff and shook his head, "I don't have a death wish, Andrew," he hissed out. Andrew cocked his head in confusion, "Pan is possessive. He already knows that I'm Thomas and kisses Lilith purposefully in front of me…" He trailed, shaking his head again in disbelief, "Plus, he hardly lets Lilith and I alone together."

Andrew suddenly grew a devious smirk on his face, "Leave the planning to me, my friend," he said, standing up and placing a hand on the handle of his sword. His fingers danced around the top of the handle, itching to use the weapon.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Tiger ran as fast as she could, skillfully jumping over exposed tree routes that threatened to trip her. Freedom was in her grasp. Freedom was hers for the taking, and she would damn sure keep it this time. She would find the two who were taken away from her. Wherever Pan took Henry, she couldn't find him in the camp that she was in. Same with Neal, and she needed to try the other camps to free her friends.

She suddenly skidded on her heels when she saw a Lost Boy with a bow and arrow poised to be used. Ducking her body low, she decided to sneak her way forward to see what was going on. Only after focusing her hearing in the forest did she hear steel hit steel in the distance. Her eyes widened a small amount at realizing that a fight was occurring a few yards away. Her heartbeat started to slow down and silently prayed that it wasn't the natives of Neverland.

He couldn't have found their camp.

He couldn't be killing them.

They were all that she had _left_.

Her body started to shake, but she clenched her hands tightly so that the nails were digging into her skin. Composing herself, she kept crouching and advancing on the Lost Boy. Having no weapons herself, she already had an unwavering gaze on an arrow head that was located in his quiver.

It happened too fast.

The boy didn't see it coming.

She tackled him as a small hiss escaped her throat. Her hatred for all of Pan's savages were greater than any love that she could have ever conjured up. Quickly taking an arrow from his quiver, she saw him put his hands up in surrender.

That wouldn't save him.

She didn't have mercy for her enemies.

Rushing the arrow head over the throat of the boy, she stopped when it was only a few centimeters above a piercing point. Her hand started to shake, and her breath was hitched in her throat. She couldn't breathe - the thought of killing this boy was circling in her head over and over again.

Do it.

 _Don't._

Kill him.

 _Spare him._

Clenching her teeth, she tried again. She had hoped that it was just a fluke; that she would still be able to kill. Raising the arrow up and then plunging it back down only to stop at the same distance. It was as if an invisible force prevented her from delivering the lethal strike. The boy was absolutely terrified – unsure if death would come today.

Tiger stood up silently, and looked down at the boy. She couldn't kill him. No matter how much she wanted to, her instincts wouldn't kick in. The cold unemotional strike that she usually delivered into her victims was no longer there.

She thought that she just didn't _want_ to kill Felix before.

It never occurred to her that she _couldn't_ killanymore.

The boy got up to run as he scrambled up to his feet. Tiger's eyes narrowed before hurdling the arrow into the back of his lower leg. He tripped in pain and landed on the unforgiving jungle ground. The girl slowly advanced over to him with a murderous gaze. Just because she couldn't kill anymore, it didn't mean that she still didn't get the satisfaction of inflicting pain.

"Where is Henry?" Tiger growled out, crouching down to see the fear better on her enemy.

"I-I-I don't know!" He cried out, trying to reach over to the arrow sticking out of his leg. Tiger wouldn't let him off easily as she stood up again. Without blinking an eye, she lowered her foot quickly over the wood protruding out of the limb – drawing in the projectile deeper into his leg.

He let out an ear piercing shriek.

Tiger didn't let any emotions show on her face. "Maybe you'll answer this one: where is _Pan_?" She asked, and at seeing the boy's eyes dart towards where the fighting was, she got her answer. He didn't have time to try and crawl out of the way to avoid the well-aimed fist approaching his face.

The girl started to walk up the hill to reach the small clearing just beyond. She passed the multiple arrows on the ground before pausing in her pursuit. Letting out a satisfactory smirk, she bent down and picked up all the tools that could potentially be used at her disposal. The bow's string was rather loose, but she decided to take that too.

Bringing the bow over her shoulder, she erased the smirk from her face. She wasn't sure who was fighting the Lost Boys, and that fact started to scare her, as much as she didn't want to admit to it. Shaking any emotions from herself she became an emotionless warrior and ran towards the noises of war.

* * *

 **(Past)**

"Hey!" Lily yelled as she ran into Pan purposefully. They both fell onto the ground, and Pan rose his eyebrows up in surprise, but that's the only emotion that he would display. He suddenly teleported into a standing position, making Lily lay on the ground by herself. "What's wrong?" Lily asked, looking up at the immortal teenager.

"I don't want you around those pirates," Pan said in a straight tone, making the girl narrow her eyes at that. She was used to Pan ordering her around and telling her not to do certain things. A big point he made out was not to spend so much alone time with Aleks.

Lily stood up, placing her hands on her waist in curiosity. "Why not?" She demanded to know, taking a few stomps over to him, "I can _handle_ pirates," she persisted with a confident smile.

Pan turned around to face her with a dark frown, "Are you _disobeying_ me, Lily?" He asked, making the girl take a step backward. A sudden shiver traveled through her back, a fear that told her to be careful of Pan.

She didn't understand.

If she loved him…

Then why did she feel so conflicted?

"I'm not going to just stop hanging around them just because you _want_ me to!" Lily argued, a dark glare on her face. "I thought there weren't any _rules_ on Neverland?" She asked sarcastically with a small roll of her eyes.

"There's not," Pan stated before letting out a devious smirk, "But there is for you," he added, making the girl open up her mouth to retort something sarcastic about him being her 'father' but he placed his rough, cold hand on her face.

It silenced her, and before the girl knew it, he was pushing his lips against her forcefully.

The girl took a few steps back, pulling away from the teenager, "No, Peter!" She yelled, making him glare over at her, "I'm not okay with your stupid rules!" She shrieked, but didn't get to say anything else before Pan suddenly grabbed her arms and forced her onto the ground.

Pan studied her eyes, but found no sign of Lilith in there anywhere. If she didn't remember anything, then why is it that she was being so defiant against him?

"They're there to protect you," he argued, making her let out a sigh at the cliché answer.

"From _who_ , Peter?" She asked, and before he could say anything, she looked into his eyes with a spark of fire in her eyes. "Or is it…that you don't want to lose me?" She asked, making her question linger for a few seconds.

He remained silent, taking in her words. They were true – he wouldn't have her escaping Neverland again. The sand would continue to fall, and his life would be slowly drained. He wouldn't have that happen.

"What would you do if I ran away with Andrew and Hook to the Enchanted Forest?" She muttered slowly, watching the hate and anger spread across his face for a few seconds. The emotions were strong enough that they were sending shivers down her spine once again. He was about to snap, and she couldn't get away.

She needed to get away before he would do something drastic to her.

It was then that an explosion happened back in camp, and the two teenagers were close enough to see the smoke and fire through the thicket of trees. Pan narrowed his eyes at her before standing up. "We're not done," he promised darkly, teleporting away from her.

Lily slowly sat up, feeling more anger that she had in a long time. This was the first time that this had happened. She couldn't help the rage that built up inside of her. They way that he treats her wasn't nice – it was more controlling.

He couldn't control what she did. She stood up shakily and started to hike up to the nearby cliff. She needed to think things over, and it would help if she were as far away from Pan as she could be.

. . . .

. . . .

Lily knew that the only thing in her life that mattered was being at Pan's side. Make sure that he was happy, and do anything that he told her to do.

So, why was it that when he said to stay away from the teenager that had arrived on the island, she couldn't?

He looked to be the same as her, only four years older give or take. Yet, here he was giving her orders as if he owned her. She didn't see why he was upset over the fact that she was talking to the pirates. The arrival of the pirates was interesting to her.

How often was it that a _pirate_ came to Neverland?

That anyone came to Neverland _at_ _all_?

"Lily," Aleks introduced as he moved a few of the hanging vines that blocked his way with his hand. They loosely fell off of his hand, and he walked over to where she was. They were on a cliff that overlooked the south part of the island. It was all of Pan's domain, and Lily was sure that the entire island was his territory.

"Aleks," Lily greeted with a small smile on her face. She looked up when he sat down by her. Their feet hung over the side of the cliff. If one of them suddenly fainted or lost their balance, they would be falling a few hundred feet to the forest floor below. There was a hazard sitting that close to the cliff's edge, but danger wasn't a new concept to the two of them.

Lost Ones showed no fear in the face of it, and besides, this was a benevolent danger.

"Shouldn't you be with Peter?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Aleks shrugged his shoulders, placing his hands behind him to hold himself up. "Shouldn't you?" He countered, a teasing grin on his face. Lily let the small smile that was on her face drop. Her entire attitude became cold, and instead of answering him, she leaned her elbows on her legs. "Did you two get into a fight, perhaps?"

Lily let out a sigh that sounded like a growl, "He told me to stay away from the pirates," she grumbled out, rolling her eyes. She kicked her feet over the edge when a surge of frustration overcame her.

"He did, did he?" Aleks drawled out, looking over at Lily with a thin smile on his face. She loved this girl in front of him more than anything in the universe. What he wouldn't give to have her say his name – his true name and embrace him with her warmness. Yet, that wouldn't be happening. Pan had brainwashed her so that she didn't know left from right. "What do you think about that?"

"Angry," she answered, mindlessly digging her fingers into her leggings, " _Frustrated_ … _mad_ …" She trailed, narrowing her eyes out towards the horizon. " _Pissed_ _off_."

Aleks let out a whistle. "That bad, huh?" He asked, and she let out a long sigh, shaking her head, "You think you can handle the pirates?"

Lily shrugged her shoulders this time, "I don't know," she replied honestly. "I'm good at a sword and bow…" She trailed, "Hand to hand I'm getting better at!" She yelled, raising her voice to verbally express her discontempt for her situation.

"It's like he's scared of me _finding_ _out_ something!" She admitted, looking up at Aleks with heat coming off of her face.

For the first time in a few months, he really looked at her. The girl who he had grown to love almost immediately when he first laid his eyes on her. His fiancée, even though she didn't remember. "What should I do, Aleks?" She whispered, looking at him for advice.

"I have to ask you something, Lily," Aleks whispered back at her, looking into her eyes intently. She looked at him in confusion, not understanding these emotions that were directed to her. She was unfamiliar with what his gaze was filled with. Yet, it was coming off of him in waves. It made her a little uncomfortable, and she felt her heart start to speed up. "Have you ever felt something was off?"

"… _Off_?" She asked, drawing her single word out. She wanted to understand where he was going with this. She felt attached to Aleks ever since she met him, but she didn't know why. His eyes seemed to pull her in, and his smile whenever he brandished it would cut through her cold façade every time. "What do you mean?"

Aleks slowly placed one of his hands that was behind his back on her hand. She felt a sudden surge of heat go through her, and she didn't understand this emotion either. "Do you really think that you belong here?" He asked, slowly placing his body closer to her, inch by inch.

He only had one chance at this.

The only time where Lilith would be susceptible to what he was saying.

To be away from Pan long enough for him to do this.

She tried to move away from him, but found that his eyes captivated her. They were telling her – pleading – that she should stay where she was. Deciding that she had nothing left to lose, and nothing to gain from the situation…she stayed where she was.

"Aleks?" She whispered out, watching the sun start to set out of the corner of her eyes. "What are you…doing?" She asked, his head slowly coming closer towards hers.

This wasn't like anything that Peter had done to her. Whenever he was about to kiss her, he was rough. As if he were asserting dominance over her and making her submissive to him. With Aleks, he was gentle, slowly taking in her face with his hands. He caressed her cheeks softly with his fingers, and she felt mesmerized with just his touch.

There were also other differences, mostly how Aleks was radiating this warmth that Peter didn't seem to possibly possess.

"Trust me, Lil," he begged, his breath touched her face. She closed her eyes, giving into his small demands. He lowered his lips onto hers, and in that instant, there was a golden wave of magic that appeared around them. The sun had finally set, and a chilly wind flew around them as well. When he pulled away, she opened her eyes and opened her mouth to speak.

She seemed to be frozen in time, not sure about what to say. Her bottom lip trembled, and soon enough, tears started to pour from her eyes. They trailed down her cheeks, and she shook her head, not wasting another second. Lily embraced Aleks hard, tackling them both to the ground backwards. She was on top of him, and he looked up at her with wide eyes.

"Thomas!" She yelled, not believing that he was here with her. In Neverland. Her true love had gone after her to Hell to get her back. "Thomas…!" She whispered, gripping his tunic with her hands tightly. "I remember everything! I-!" She yelled, breaking down into sobs.

Her humanity had been returned to her instantly. Everything and anything that made her Lilith flooded into her mind uncontrollably. She wasn't sure if it was the crying or the memories, but she started to develop a headache.

"Shh…" Aleks spoke out, patting her long hair that was behind her. He didn't mind the stray tears that had found their way on his face because of her. In that moment, despite how broken down she was, in his eyes she was still the most beautiful thing he could have ever imagined.

"It's okay," he added, making her dig her crying face into his chest.

She shook her head, telling him that everything wasn't alright. That nothing would be alright ever again because she was back in Neverland. That Peter Pan would never let her go because of their immortality. "T-T-Thomas…" She muttered, looking back up at him. "Why? Why did you…?" She asked, the heavy question finally coming to light.

Aleks let out a chuckle, "I couldn't let you go, Lilith," he answered truthfully, "I love you too much for that!" He chided, noticing a stray hair that had fallen out of her pony-tail. He let out a small smile and placed it behind her ear.

"How did you know that would work?" She whispered, rolling off of him, contempt with just being next to him. "The kiss?" She asked, clarifying letting out a small sniffle. She got a handle on her raw emotions and gazed into his eyes.

"I didn't to be honest," he spoke, closing his eyes as a wide grin appeared on his face, "Andrew mentioned something about 'a true love's kiss' and I decided to test it out," he muttered, opening his eyes to see the smiling form of Lilith in front of him.

She shook her head in disbelief. "True love," she whispered with a small smile on her face. She faintly remembered her time back in the Enchanted Forest. In that realm everything seemed to be magical and completely at peace. She would like to go back to that place – this time with her fiancé.

"Andrew said that he has a plan, I just hope he doesn't get in trouble for the riots…" Aleks muttered out with a grimace. They both knew what Pan would do to the two of them should he find out exactly what had happened.

"Especially after I had that fight with Pan for Andrew and Hook to take me away with them…" She trailed with wide eyes.

"We have to get back," she stated not bothering to mask her fear, taking his hand and running down the cliff. He didn't have any time to think about anything else before being tugged along by his fiancée. They had to get off of Neverland, and they were going to do it together.

They had true love, and it was comforting to the two of them to know that. With that small tid bit of knowledge, they felt as if they could take on the world, Neverland and Pan included.

* * *

 **(Present)**

"How did they surround us so easily?" David asked, swinging his sword in the air to knock a flying arrow that was heading towards them.

"Not really something you should worry about at the moment!" Hook yelled out, blocking a Lost Boy's weapon with his hook. The sword landed perfectly in the arch. They struggled against one another for a few seconds before the pirate knocked him down on the ground. The teenager hit the dirt harshly, making the boy let out a hiss of pain.

Fin was standing around, trying to block the multiple Lost Boy's that had selected him as their target. Honestly, the ex-pirate thought that having five enemies against one person was just plain unfair.

And _he_ was a dirty pirate.

Just as a sword was about to hit the man, an arrow flew through the air to intercept the weapon. Before the Lost Boy's knew what was happening, another arrow shot at them, landing just in-between them and the ex-pirate.

Fin looked around and found that his sister was standing on higher ground with a bow and arrow prepped and ready to be shot. Tiger quickly slid against the rocky slope of the short cliff before landing on the battle field. She blocked a sword with the bow, making it crack in the middle. Just as the wooden bow was separated into two, she trapped the Lost Boy's sword in-between the two pieces of wood.

The teen boy looked up with a gasp at seeing just who had him at their mercy. His eyes widened when he saw that it was Neverland's Tiger Lily. Not wasting any more time, she brought the two pieces of wood lower, making the boy hunch over. She quickly used her upper body strength to raise herself up and roundhouse kick the teenager in the neck.

The boy went flying into the cliff and slid against it slowly before reaching the ground. He was motionless and that either meant that he was dead or sleeping. Tiger knew that she didn't have the ability to kill anymore – he was most likely just knocked out. She picked up the Lost Boy's sword that had been dismissed and twirled it around in her hand by the handle.

It wasn't her sword, but it would have to do.

Darting around the battle field, she found that some of the adults had watched her in action. Narrowing her eyes at them, she directed her gaze towards the onslaught of boys that were rushing towards them. Bringing her sword behind her with a solid swing, she found a few Lost Boys that she would attack.

Deciding to run into the middle of the chaos, she wasted no time bringing her sword up to cut off a limb of one of the Lost Boy's.

After all, it wasn't as if she would be _murdering_ them.

* * *

 **(Past)**

"Peter!" Lily yelled when she got back to camp. She noticed that everything was tidied up, no doubt with his unlimited amount of magic. If there ever was a riot, there wasn't any evidence that proved that it existed in the first place. She stopped her pursuit when she noticed that the pirates were all tied up in front of a hovering Pan. The teenager had his hands on his waist and looked down in discontent at the leader of the riots.

"Dent, you would think you'd have _known_ better," Pan lectured with a small frown on his face.

Andrew let out a roll of his eyes. "Eat one," he muttered, making Hook shake his head at how easily his surrogate son was angered. Pan looked at the teenage pirate before looking at the rest of them.

They all deserved to lose their life for that troublesome riot.

Pan chuckled, landing his feet on the ground. "No, I won't punish _you_ ," he stated before looking back at Lily and Aleks, who had just entered the camp. "I told you to stay away from Lily," Pan hissed out, walking over to the two of them aggressively.

"Stop, Peter," Lily stated, stepping in front of Aleks protectively. She brought out the sword that was attached at her hip and tightened her hold on the handle. She aimed the blade at the teenager and she glared over at him.

"Lily, you're going to _stand_ _down_ ," Pan ordered in a dark tone.

Lily felt a tug at her heart, but other than that, stayed where she was.

No, she wouldn't listen to Pan _ever_ again.

She swung out her sword, barely missing the torso of Pan. The teenager had taken a quick step back before looking up at the girl who was supposed to be loyal to him. He tried to picture what went wrong, but had figured it out relatively quickly.

After all, Aleks was Thomas, and Lilith loved Thomas.

They had kissed and broken what hold he had over her.

And that _wouldn't_ _do_.

"You shouldn't have done that, Aleks," Pan stated, looking over at the London born teenager with a smirk. "But…" He trailed, taking calculative steps over towards him, tilting his head in mock thought, "Now that you have, I don't have a _need_ for you anymore," Pan stated, snapping his fingers before getting too close to Lily for her to swipe at him.

There was a cracking sound, and Aleks quickly fell to the ground. Lily heard the sound and looked over to Aleks with wide eyes. She then looked back at Pan, her sword still aimed at him. She took a few unsure steps back, her hands trembling at not knowing what had happened. Dropping the sword carelessly, she quickly kneeled down next to Alek's unmoving body.

"Thomas?" She asked, looking over his body. She didn't see the uneven chest rise, and she immediately placed her head down on his chest. Her eyes widened at not finding any sign that he was alive.

"No!" She yelled, placing her hands on his chest before pushing down on it a few times. She then placed her head back down on his chest to see if that helped start his heart.

The entire camp was speechless at what had happened. Hook looked at the teenage girl trying to resuscitate the man who she loved. Andrew looked down at the ground and couldn't help but feel that this was all his fault. If he hadn't told Thomas about how to break any spell, then he still would have been alive.

Andrew was overridden with guilt, and he started to feel sick. After all the raids that the pirates went on, the ships that they stole, the things that they took. Nothing compared to this. Because he was the one who had ruined his sister's true love, not to mention her life. And he doubted that she would ever find someone like that again. True love was very rare magic, even in the Enchanted Forest. In Neverland, it was practically _non-existent_.

Lily wouldn't stop, but the tears kept trailing down her face. "No, Thomas!" She yelled, wrapping her arms around his dead corpse. She dug her head into his chest and wanted to go with him. They belonged together.

They always found each other…and now he's… _gone_.

She felt a strong hand around her shoulder and it tried to pull her away from the body – from her Thomas. She yelled when she found that she couldn't fight against it, and swung her arms out, desperately trying to hold onto her love - to her beloved.

"Let go of me!" She yelled, looking up at the teenager who had taken everything she knew and loved away from her. "Let go!" She yelled again, a sudden anger overtaking her. She lunged at Pan, who fell to the ground with the girl on top of her.

Quickly looking around for her sword, she grabbed it, though she missed the handle a few times before finally clasping both of her hands around it.

She raised the sword into the air and plunged it into his chest mercilessly. Once the deed was done, she just sat on his chest, unsure of what to do with herself. She wasn't lost, she was void.

Void, and yet the tears wouldn't stop flowing.

Andrew tried to get to her sister, but the Lost One that was guarding him kicked him in the back making him topple over himself. He landed on the ground harshly, and Hook clenched his teeth to prevent himself from saying anything. The pirate knew what it was like to lose a true love.

"Are you finished?" Pan asked, looking up at the girl with amusement. He was resting his head on his elbow and the girl looked down at him with vacant eyes. She wished she could go back in time – to tell Thomas how much she loved him.

How much he meant to her.

But she couldn't.

Because he was _dead_.

Because Pan took away _another_ one of her loved ones.

"Why?" She asked, her tone sounding emotionless even to her. To even her surprise, her voice didn't crack when she asked the question.

"You belong to _me_ , Lil," Pan stated with a small shrug. "I had to get rid of him. I only kept him around because you befriended him as Lily," he said as if it wasn't a big deal that he killed someone. Well, perhaps it wasn't a big deal that someone had died to _him_. "He was poisoned by Dreamshade and drank the water. He couldn't have escaped back with you; I was doing you a _favor_."

Lily erupted into a sudden rage. She ripped her sword out of the chest of the teenager with a glare. "You were doing me _nothing_!" She yelled, standing up as her hands lit up white. Now that she was Lilith again, she knew that she could do magic. Although, it was Pan's magic – it was still an advantage. She launched white blasts at him, making him teleport away.

She kept firing mercilessly at the spot where he had been. She was too caught up in her own self-pity to realize that he had teleported away to avoid getting hurt.

And unlike weapons, magic hurt more.

He teleported behind her and grabbed her shoulders. "That's enough," he ordered, making her fall to her knees when he applied pressure to her shoulders. Her tears were still falling, and her hands stopped glowing. She didn't have enough energy to keep using magic in Neverland anyway.

The sword rolled out of her hands, and she placed her hands on the ground in defeat.

"You'll get over him," Pan stated heartlessly, walking away to address his Lost Ones about what to do about the pirates. Although the Lost Ones were a little skittish about the teenage leader, they followed his demands without hesitation.

After all, they didn't want to end up like Aleks should they went against Peter Pan.

 **To be continued…**


	14. Siblings

**A/N: Welcome to another update! Can't believe that some of you guys hate Andrew. I thought that he wasn't that horrible of a guy. We all did stupid stuff when we were eighteen because we were young. Or, you youngsters who still haven't turned eighteen – heads up, you might get your sister's boyfriend killed.**

 **You ever notice that sometimes Emma just stares at people with wide eyes?**

 **I do.**

 **Warning: Character death sorta.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything, my dude.**

* * *

This night is heating up  
Raise hell and turn it up  
Saying "If you go out you might pass out in a drain pipe"  
Oh yeah, don't threaten me with a good time

~Panic at the Disco "Don't Threaten me with a good time"

* * *

Ch. 14: Siblings

 **(Present)**

Tiger blocked another Lost Boy's sword attack with her own stolen weapon before slashing the boy's lower leg. The effect was immediate, and he quickly fell to the ground in pain. The boy grasped his bleeding leg as he tried to stop any more blood from escaping. She had no doubt that Pan was watching from somewhere, and that was fine with her.

Let him see that she wasn't playing around.

She never _was_.

Noticing that he brother's back side was susceptible to a surprise attack, she let out a growl as his carelessness.

Running over to place her back against her brother's, he tensed up at her small figure before they both started to circle the small mob of Lost Boys that had chosen to target them. "Have you lost weight, sis?" Fin joked around before suddenly running to fend against a Lost Boy who had chosen at that moment to attack him in particular.

"No," she answered sternly, not finding the humor in that statement especially since they were on the battlefield. This wasn't the time to be fooling around and losing focus on the enemy. A boy chose at that moment to charge at her.

Quickly dodging a swing aimed for her head, she dropped to the ground before bringing her legs forward to swipe the legs from underneath the boy that had targeted her. He fell to the ground just as she quickly stood up. The boy looked up at her with wide eyes. He wasn't normally scared and hardly showed fear, but how else should one feel when coming face to face with a tiger.

Her cold green eyes stared down at the boy. The Lost Boy started to tremble in fear, and he tried to backup and away from the girl. She noticed that start of his retreat and narrowed her eyes at him while approaching the boy. Stopping right at his feet where he had been too petrified to move, Tiger gripped the handle of the sword that was in her hands tightly.

"Where is Henry?" She demanded to know, pointing her sword at him. The boy swallowed nervously, his eyes darting to the right and to the left, knowing that no one was going to save him. "Don't _make_ me ask again," she hissed out, lowering her sword to scare the boy.

He watched as the sword was a mere inches away from his throat. Tensing his body up from the attack that would surely take his life, he closed his eyes in the face of death. The next thing he felt was a cold wind rush past him. Opening back up his eyes, he felt relief wash over him. He would be able to live another day.

Pan suddenly was at her side, grabbing her sword by the blade. Blood was flowing out of his hand as the blade was pushed deeper against it. Tiger glanced to her left where he was before pulling the sword back slowly.

The boy stood up and scampered away just as Pan shook his head at how scared all of his Lost Boys were when they were up against Tiger Lily. The Lost Boys knew that meeting the girl was certain death – she was a heartless warrior that wouldn't show mercy to them.

Pan knew it was understandable yet he found it pathetic that his boys were weak. Glancing down at his bleeding palm, he let out a loud sigh of disappointment as he clenched his hand. In less than a second, he slowly unclenched his hand. If he had gotten cut by the blade – there were no signs of it anywhere on his hand.

"We had a deal," Pan stated, wondering what the girl was thinking in front of him. He knew she valued that native girl too much to put her life at risk. "You don't _care_ what happens to her life?"

"We both know you lost her in the deep jungle," Tiger stated with an uncaring shrug. She watched how Pan tried to hide the surprise in his eyes, but she knew him long enough to see the different emotions in his eyes. "You'll never find her now."

Pan let out a chuckle of disbelief, "You really don't believe that, do you?" He asked, walking a few steps forward to her. She took a few steps back, not liking him that close. "Don't tell me you're _that_ naïve," he added, and she narrowed her eyes at the insult directed towards her.

She clenched her hand around the handle of her stolen weapon. It was the only thing that she could to mask her anger. "It took you twenty years to find me," she stated, and she watched how his eyes darkened considerably at the hard truth. "Don't tell me you're _that_ stupid," she muttered, using his own words against him.

"Oh, not stupid, I assure you," Pan retorted, suddenly summoning a weapon in his left hand before twirling it around in the air – trying the weapon out. "Why don't you stop killing my boys, Lil?" He asked, before launching himself at her. She barely had time to block, and his strength was far proving to be superior to her own.

With steel against steel, she struggled to hold him back. Not to mention the ear screeching sound that the blades created when they made contact with each other caused her temporary deafness. Quickly readjusting her hands to avoid the liquid that came off of Pan's blade, she couldn't help but release a low growl from inside her throat.

One drip of that Dreamshade, and she'll be paralyzed and immobile - and then Pan could take her again. She was done with that camp. Her hands lit up white before they dimmed back down due to her anger.

If Pan wasn't using magic, then neither was she.

Despite how stupid the act of showing mutual respect was to someone she hated.

He let out a smirk at this, but she ignored the look that he was giving her.

Pushing him away, she quickly took a few steps back to gain some distance. Her hearing started to come back to her, although her ears were ringing a small amount from the initial clash of the weapons. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not killing them anymore," she hissed out, catching her breath from using so much energy so quickly.

Fighting against Pan was torture; one wrong move and you were dead. She caught her breath and narrowed her eyes at the teenager who was watching her intently. Standing up straighter than before, she recollected her energy and swiped a bead of sweat that started to roll down her face with the back of her hand.

"Maybe not stupid…" She trailed, looking him in the eyes challengingly. "Definitely slow," she added, knowing it would add fuel to the ever growing fire between them. Pan narrowed his eyes at this for a split second before letting out a grin in adoration.

"Don't antagonize him," Fin said from beside her. Tiger looked and noticed her adult brother at her side, and she couldn't help but see for the first time how much he grew. She wondered how she would look when she was older – but that thought was quickly pushed aside.

The water that she drank prevented her from leaving Neverland, and that meant that she would stay the young age of fourteen for eternity.

"Andrew," Tiger noted dully, and then shifted her gaze to Pan, who was shaking his head in disbelief.

"The siblings are reunited once again," Pan stated with an amused smirk. "I look forward to separating them," he continued, walking menacingly over towards the two of them. Yet his tone was insinuating that he was welcoming two old friends. " _Permanently_ ," he hissed out, the darkness that shone in his eyes reflected the moonlight in his dark orbs.

* * *

 **(Past)**

Lily was sitting out by the ocean, watching as the waves came into the shore. Her eyes were still void, and it had only been a few days since Thomas – or Aleks – had been murdered by Peter Pan himself. It was shadow magic, Lily knew, the most powerful magic on Neverland.

The resounding crack that his neck had made before he fell lifelessly onto the ground seemed to echo in her ears. There wasn't anything that she could do to prevent his death – she had no idea that Pan would kill him.

Her fingers were buried in the sand, she wasn't aware of how long it was since she moved. Since that day, she couldn't think of anything except for Thomas. He was gone, and he wasn't coming back. And that fact hurt her more than she could have ever imagined. Nothing was as comparable to the pain that she was feeling right now.

Not when Pan stabbed her back in the Enchanted Forest, not the brainwashing, not even losing her parents.

The ever growing need to disappear was overcoming her.

If she could just let the sand swallow her whole…

"Lil," Andrew addressed, walking down the beach to confront his sister. She was grieving, this he knew. Everyone on Neverland knew, and they were giving her space. Pan stated that she would 'get over it' but Andrew knew better. There would always be a piece of his sister that still loved Thomas. The way that she was crying over his corpse proved their love for each other.

That Thomas was ready to die for her.

That she was about ready to die for him.

"You have to eat something," Andrew informed, sitting down by his sister with a plate of food in his hands. She didn't bother to look over at him, and instead kept her eyes locked on the horizon in front of her. As if she were expecting something miraculous to appear, something that would give her a sign that Thomas was still here with her.

But he wasn't.

He was dead.

"Come on, Lilith," Andrew sighed, placing the plate by her side in a last ditch effort for her to acknowledge the plate of food. It hadn't worked for the previous days, but maybe today would be the day that she would come to the realization that she was starving herself to death.

"Is…" She trailed out, a tone that was close to inaudible.

Andrew leaned in closer to his sister, his concerned glance fell on her pale and weakened face. "Is?" He asked, wondering if he had heard her right. For him, this was a breakthrough. She hadn't said anything since the day it had happened. The day that Thomas had left the realm of the living.

Lily swallowed, glancing at her brother from the corner of her eyes. "Is it from _him_ …?" She muttered out in a shaky whisper. Her body started trembling, and her brother wasn't sure if it was from fear, or from rage.

He assumed it was from anger since his sister was never one to show panic. Andrew wondered exactly who she was talking about, but he didn't need three guesses to assume that it was Pan. If someone killed his true love in front of him, he was sure that he wouldn't want anything from them either. Regardless if it was food or water, he would rather die than give in to the killer.

Andrew understood, but that didn't mean that it was okay.

"No, it's from Hook's ship," he answered, and the girl then looked down at the food. Her eyes began to water, and she hunched over, her arms falling over her knees as she brought her legs up to her chest. Crying into her arms, Andrew noticed that they were muffled, yet broken sobs.

It filled him with the feeling of dread.

"Please, Lil, you gotta eat," Andrew coaxed, placing his hand on her back tenderly. Unlike the rest of the women back in the Enchanted Forest, he would never treat his own sister with disrespect. Despite how much he has changed, he was still a well natured London boy on the inside.

"He's gone," she whispered, raising her head to glance at her brother from the corner of her eyes. Her green tunic that was on her body was looser than before, and he could only imagine how much weight she had lost. He understood mourning, he did, but he hated seeing his sister going through it.

Andrew let out a small sigh, "I know," he said in a small sympathetic tone. He rubbed his hand on her back, and she placed her head on his lap. He tensed, not used to his once older sister displaying weakness in front of him. He knew that the roles were reversed – that he would have to take care of her.

His free hand landed on something that was in his pocket. It was a letter from Thomas himself, addressed to who he assumed was his sister. He had searched his dead corpse for something that Lilith could hold onto, but she wasn't ready for this now. It was far too early in the mourning progress to give this to her. She would never grow out of this state if she held onto reminders of the past. So, he placed his hand out of his pocket and onto the sandy beach.

There would be a time for this letter to come to light, but it wasn't now.

He narrowed his eyes at the horizon.

And the only way to protect her was to get her away from the one causing her all this suffering in the first place.

Peter Pan.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Tiger let out a small growl when Pan directed his attack towards Fin. The man blocked the attack skillfully with his own sword, making Pan halt in his movement. He didn't stay paused for long before Tiger aimed her sword to slice the teen's head clean off. The demon teenager chose this movement to teleport away, making her attack hit at the air.

"Magic is such a failsafe, Pan!" Fin stated in annoyance, looking around the area for the teenager. Tiger did the same, but kept a special eye on her brother. One hit from Pan's sword, and he was good as dead. "Your own abilities aren't good enough?" He taunted into the air.

Fin barely had time to block an attack from a nearby Lost Boy, who chose at that moment to fire an arrow at the adult. Fin swung his sword in the air to knock the arrow out of its projected path, and looked over to where the arrow came from. He spotted an entire group of archers on the cliff overlooking the small plain that they were currently fighting on. All of their arrows were directed towards him, and he let out a gulp before having to run to avoid getting hit from one of them. He knew the consequences if he did.

Tiger took a step to help her brother before she found that she couldn't move at all. Her eyes widened in alarm before she looked around her, trying to figure out what was preventing her from any motion at all. It then occurred to her, that the ground might have been a better place to look.

Her eyes scanned the ground where her shadow was supposed to be, and found a black mass the shape of Pan attached to her feet. She looked back up slowly and found that Pan was standing in front of her – a smug expression placed on his face.

"First time attaching a shadow to another's feet," he stated with a small shrug before he began walking in a circle around the girl.

Not amused by his act of dominance, she began to tug her feet from the ground. They wouldn't inch, and she was stuck at the spot where she was. All and any movement was restricted from the shadow holding her in place. "Then again, we're one and the same, aren't we?"

"I am _nothing_ like you," She spat out, a furious glare on her face. Looking back up at the teenager, she found that he held that triumphant smirk on his face. He hadn't one yet, this was only a temporary setback for her. Somehow she would find a way out of this trap that he had concocted.

"That's debatable, Lil," he stated with an uncaring shrug when he walked back to the front to face her. "That act with Baelfire and his dear papa?" He asked, a sly grin appearing on his face. "That was manipulative _and_ distasteful," he said, walking closer to the girl, who seemed to be taking in his words.

He did have that effect on people, and despite all the harsh things that came out of his mouth, none of it were lies. Peter Pan never told lies – he always told the cold horrible truth.

" _Just_ ," he stated, his vile breath landing on her ear. She tried to take a step back to get away from him, but still found herself anchored to that one particular spot. " _Like_ ," he continued, making her dread the next predictable word that would be coming out of his mouth. " _Me_ ," he finished, pulling his head away only a fraction as he looked up into her eyes.

She knew that she was exactly like him.

Killing off people who were no use to her was a big factor.

Manipulative, cunning, and a masterful tactician. Not to mention, a ruthless savage when it came to fighting. Exploiting her enemy's weak spots and taking them for granted. Inflicting pain on others when she didn't need to.

All qualities that they shared.

Just like Peter Pan himself.

"Get away from my sister!" Fin yelled, launching a flaming arrow over at the teen.

Pan looked up just in time to teleport away just as the arrow hit the spot where he was at before. Due to the fire, the shadow let out a shriek of agony before dissolving into nothing. Tiger fell to her knees, her energy leaving her from being purposefully detained.

Fin rushed over and helped his sister up with a frown. "Are you okay?" He asked, while she let out a small nod. Pan reappeared up on the cliff, and he let out a smirk as he looked down at the exhausted adults before him.

One of them had been pierced by a weapon coated in Dreamshade.

"Alright boys!" Pan yelled out, waving his arm behind him. "Time to head back to camp!" He yelled, while the other Lost Boys yelped and cheered in what they assumed was a victory. Tiger watched as the savages retreated into the dense forest, knowing that should they chose to attack again, none of them would see it coming.

Pan's eyes fell on hers, and he let out a dark chuckle before disappearing into the forest himself. She knew something was off with his demeanor. Something horrible was on the horizon and she didn't know exactly what it was.

Fin began to rub his sister's back to show that he was there. "We're finally reunited, it's alright," he chanted, and she rose her eyebrows up at his show of affection. It was strange for her, since the only thing close she got to that was the Natives. Although, their displays of affections weren't as close as his; she still felt closer to them than her own blood brother.

"Get off," she stated, pushing him away as she stood up. "I am older than you _by_ _far_ ," she reminded him, and he stared wide eyed at what he thought was his little sister. "Don't patronize me for my appearance," she added, walking over to where the recovering people were in the group.

"Is anyone injured?" She asked, barely raising her voice to be heard.

"Everything's fine!" Emma commented with wide eyes. She couldn't get over the sudden attack that they had experience.

Tiger nodded, sheathing her weapon at her hip. "We should be on our way to a guide," she stated, drawing the others in. "Her name is Tinkerbell, and she should tell us _exactly_ where the other camps are," she announced, making the others nod their heads. Regina spaced out at the mention of the girl, while Fin slowly scrambled to his feet.

It was then that Fin knew that his sister wasn't in there anymore, despite how she looked. She talked like her, a little, and looked like her. But, the way she acted, was vastly different. There was no kindness in her eyes, and he doubted that she had laughed in the past few decades.

He shook his head before remerging with the group.

"What's wrong, mate?" Hook asked him, at seeing how distant he was acting.

"Nothing," he muttered before sheathing his own blade and catching up to the group.

* * *

 **(Past)**

Lily was on the ground and on her knees. She looked up at the teenager who was holding her brother up by an invisible magic. Pan's hand was arched and was glaring up at the pirate who dared to try to kill him.

Sure, he found the attempt laughable, but it was disrespectful none the less.

"You can't take them both from me," Lily muttered slowly. "Please, let him go!"

"He should have known better than to attack _me_ ," Pan mused out loud, making Hook, who was being restrained from the Lost Ones, to try and lash out. He needed to protect his men, all of the men that he had left. Peter Pan had taken care of most of them, and the pirate just had enough to pilot the Jolly Roger. "He wanted this."

Lily shakily stood up from where she was sitting and slowly inched her way over to Peter Pan with wobbly steps. Almost tripping a few times, she finally made it in front of Pan. The immortal teenager looked over at her curiously – what exactly was she doing?

The girl slowly placed a trembling hand on his raised arm. Pan looked down at his arm before he drifted his eyes up to the girl's. They were vacant, but they were also silently pleading. Begging for him to let go of her brother.

"Please," she whispered out, barely letting her voice be heard. "Peter, I can't lose them both," she answered honestly showing her emotions. Pan only stared into her eyes, taking in her raw and powerful feelings.

He wanted to make her weak.

It made him quickly realize that losing her brother would send her over the edge. When she finally didn't have an anchor anymore to latch onto – she would only rely on him. He should have killed them both from the beginning.

"Do it!" Andrew yelled from where he was being held with a murderous gaze for the teenager. Pan looked up with his own equally darkly lit eyes.

"Show her just how much of a monster you really are!" He yelled, he then looked down at the ground before looking back over at him. "Wait, you already _did_ _that_ , didn't you!?"

Andrew was quickly cut off with Pan's growing annoyance towards the pirate. He clenched his hand and Lily let out a shudder of disappointment when her plead wasn't understood. "I can't do this," Lily muttered out, falling to her knees again. Pan quickly looked down to see her trembling form. He knew he needed to get this over with as soon as possible.

He was so close to making her break.

Yet, that didn't mean that she wanted another one of those episodes of hers when he killed the last of her loved ones. It was best to let her overcome her sorrow in a secluded space.

"Felix, take her someplace," Pan ordered, looking back up at Andrew.

Felix let out a stiff nod in compliance before heading over towards where the girl was. He had grown to care for the girl, although, he was sure that over the past ten years, all of the Lost Ones had.

Just as he bent down to pick her up, a white fire engulfed her features. Felix had to take a few steps backwards to avoid getting hit with the sudden magic that had just appeared. Pan furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at what was currently happening.

Her magic was growing out of control.

"Let him go, Peter!" She yelled out, slamming her hands on the ground. "Just let him go! Let him go!" She shrieked, fire overcoming the area. Tears were streaming down her face, and she barely saw that Pan bent down to stare into her eyes.

"As you wish," Pan addressed slyly, a smirk overcoming his features.

Then, there was that familiar sickening crack, much like what had happened Thomas.

Lily looked up, and the white flames disappeared around her. "No!" She shrieked, struggling to stand up only to find that Felix held her down to where she was currently sitting. "Andrew!" She screamed, pushing away Felix from her to quickly stand up and run over to her brother.

She immediately checked to see if he had a pulse.

He didn't.

"You can't leave me! I just found you!" She yelled out, shaking his lifeless body.

"Let go of me!" Hook yelled before he slashed the throat of a Lost One with his hook to free himself. The one handed pirate ran over to where his surrogate son was. Lily looked over at the pirate and saw that he was picking up her brother's body carefully.

The girl then stood up and placed a shaking hand towards the pirate. "Wait…" She muttered when he started to walk towards the woods. "Where are you taking him?" She asked in a mumble. Hook glared over at the teenager, and she took a step backwards. The pirate then looked over to where Pan was with a stoic expression.

"We'll be leaving," Hook stated before walking away from the group of teenagers. His group of pirates following slowly behind in silence. The crew all understood just how close Hook and Andrew were. Even though the pirate and the teenager weren't related by blood – they were still family.

Pan placed his hands on his waist with a grin, "You have my permission," he said in an overly ecstatic tune. The immortal teenager started to walk over to where Lily was before she broke out into a sprint after the pirates.

"Where are you taking my brother?!" Lily demanded to the leader of the pirates. The crew all looked back at the girl with sullen expressions on their faces. The crew knew that the captain was in mourning, and Hook didn't take loss well at all.

"This is _your_ fault!" Hook yelled out in absolute rage, making the girl stop where she was in the forest. They had almost arrived at the beach where the pirate ship was docked at. "Andrew was only fulfilling his own guilt ridden thoughts!"

Lily understood what he was saying. It had taken her almost a full two weeks to recover from the death of Thomas. Even now, she still wasn't completely accepting the fact that her true love was dead. She could understand why Andrew thought it was his fault. Thomas had only listened to her brother's ideas on how to break Pan's brainwashing.

"You kill _everyone_ that _dared_ _to_ _care_ for you…" Hook trailed out, glaring back at the girl with an intense hate. Lily looked down at the ground, already knowing that she had made so many people close to her die. Even if she had never intended, or had meant for their death to happen. "Let's go, men," Hook ordered, looking back at his ship.

The girl watched from the shadows of the trees and saw the pirates slowly board the ship that was parked on the beach. She knew it was all her fault. Clenching her fists, she sat down on the small hill that overlooked the ocean. An overwhelming sickness started to form in her stomach – it was her fault that Andrew was dead.

Everyone that _did_ care for her ended up dead.

Within seconds the ship had set sail, and she watched as Hook had abandoned her on Neverland. She had deserved it. After all the pain and suffering that she had unconsciously put the captain through. True, she had lost her brother…but he had lost a _son_.

A son that he had raised for ten years; he had known Andrew far longer than she had.

The pirate ship soared through the sky and faded from her vision.

"You might have lost a blood brother, but you still have us," Felix called from beside her. She was too consumed in her self-hate to realize that the teen had come after her.

"I have no one," Lily grumbled, not even bothering to look up at the teenager that was standing next to her.

Felix sat down beside her with a frown on his face. It was in disapproval, he knew that she was still recovering from the loss of Aleks, and now she had lost Dent. "Don't let Pan hear you say that," he said in honesty. "His eagerness to change you will only increase."

Lily looked over at who was supposed to be her best friend, "If you're so loyal to…" She trailed out, not being able to say the name of the one who had taken those most precious to her away. Letting out a dejected sigh, she looked down at the ground in defeat. "Why are you here?"

"Because we're family," Felix reasoned objectively. "I'll always look out for your best interests."

"How can killing my loved ones be in my _best_ _interests_?" She spat out, looking out towards the ocean. A small gentle wind came from the ocean. Her long flowing hair that was tied into a pony-tail was gently caressed by its invisible hands.

After a few moments of silence, it was clear to the girl that he wouldn't supply her with an answer to her question.

Glaring out at the ocean, she pulled a strand from her ribbon so that her hair cascaded down her back. Felix looked over at the girl and then out at the ocean as well.

"You'll always have us," Felix reasoned, and the girl slowly stood up.

"I'm tired of all of this, Felix," Lily answered back at him in an exhausted tone. "Death, killing, murder…" She listed off, trailing her voice before she turned around to him. "I'm done," she answered, her eyes becoming increasingly softer by every word she spoke.

She headed into the forest behind Felix, and he still sat in the same spot. He heard the trees and bushes rustle as she walked away. The ocean seemed to taunt him with the limitless freedom that it offered him.

It lied, and it will always lie.

There was no escaping Pan, but the ocean provided a cunning mirage to convince him otherwise.

* * *

 **(Present)**

The walk towards where Tinkerbell lived was a silent one. Tiger glanced over at where David currently was to see him hobbling slightly. The girl walked over to the man and snuck up on him. "Can I speak with you?" She asked, making him quickly turn around to see where the girl was. He wasn't too sure when she had decided to walk beside him, and he wondered why he didn't realize it until now.

"Sure," he answered, his face slowly becoming covered in small amounts of sweat. They had pulled off from the group and headed into a small section of the forest. "What did you want to talk about?" He asked a little impatiently.

"You've been attacked by Dreamshade," Tiger stated in a quiet tone.

David made a face of disapproval before he nodded, "I know I don't have long left," he said with a small chuckle. "But I don't want my family to worry with what little time I do have."

Tiger nodded her head, "I see," she answered before heading back towards the path. Stopping short, she turned her head back to a deeper section of the forest. David was about to open his mouth to ask what was wrong, when she waved him to go ahead of her. The man seemed a little hesitant, knowing that this place was dangerous and that she was just a girl. However, that thought quickly became dismissed when he realized that the girl in front of him wasn't fourteen; she was close to almost a century old.

The man did a stiff nod and pushed aside a long branch to access the path that was just beyond.

Tiger took a few moments to stare into the dark forest. It could very well be Pan to try and take her back again. Or maybe it could be Felix, desperate for another rematch. Sneakily she reached for the sword that she had taken from the battle earlier.

" **Tiger**?" Water's voice rang out when she escaped from the thick brushes.

" **Water**?" Tiger asked in shock and disbelief that she was seeing her tribal sister in front of her. They soon embraced into a long hug, and stayed like that for a few minutes. Tiger stroked the girl's long hair, immensely glad that she hadn't been hurt or injured. " **What are you doing here**?"

Water frowned as she pulled away, " **I came to find you** ," she reasoned, looking down into her tribal sister's eyes. " **We can return to camp together**."

Tiger nodded with a thin smile on her face, " **I'm glad to see that you are unharmed** ," she said before she frowned herself, " **Kongol** …"

" **Shall live on with the Great Spirit** ," Water said dryly, saying what the tribe has been saying for generations. Death was a highly sensible thing back in the tribe. Kongol wouldn't have a proper burial or send off that Water and Tiger would have wanted to give him.

"Is everything alright in there?" David asked, growing concerned for the girl.

Water raised her eyebrows, immediately reaching down for her collection of small knives that she had scraped herself from bamboo. Tiger placed a hand up to signal the girl to stop. "Everything is fine," Tiger addressed before she glanced over to where the path was located. She then motioned with her head to the path, and Water nodded to show that she understood what her tribal sister wanted.

Just as Water and Tiger stepped out from the forest, Fin rose his eyebrows at the sight of the native girl standing beside his sister. If anything, he would have assumed that this native girl would have been Tiger Lily from the stories rather than his own sister.

"This is Water Lily," Tiger introduced to everyone, "She's my sister."

Water judged everyone from her first glance before her eyes landed on Fin. She scowled and walked over to him with a bamboo knife in her hands threateningly. " **Why does he have our eyes**?!" She demanded, her native language becoming unclear to everyone except Tiger. "Eyes! Why you have?" She asked in broken English.

Fin glanced over at his sister with a confused glance, "What is she talking about?"

" **Water, this is my brother** ," Tiger responded before turning away from the duo that was making a scene.

Content with the answer for the time being, Water lowered her weapon but still didn't let go of her glare. "Brother…" She trailed out in English before she shook her head and placed her weapon back in a slot of her sash. Turning around, she walking quickly to catch up to her tribal sister.

"Mate, she does _not_ like you," Hook stated the obvious, making Fin look over at his surrogate father with a heated glare.

" **The one that died? The brother that got you here in the first place? Sibling that is blood related**?" Water questioned in a hurried and frustrated burst. She shook her head and then turned to look back at Fin with a glare, " **He only has eyes, not spirit or ambition to be one of us**!" She spat out before turning to look at Tiger.

The teen girl turned to look at Water with a small smile on her face. " **You will never be replaced, Water, you will always be my sister** ," Tiger stated before embracing the older girl tightly.

Water nodded slowly before returning the embrace, "Siblings," she said in English before pulling away. "Where we go?" She asked as they started to walk again.

"Tink," Tiger announced, " **Pan has Baelfire and his son held captive in different camps**."

"We must rescue!" Water stated with confidence as she raised her hand in front of her and formed a fist in determination. "Make haste!" She yelled with a grin at the chance of getting to fight any Lost Boys in her way.

Tiger nodded before turning behind her to the group that she was traveling with, "Tinkerbell is just ahead. We have reached the middle of the thickest forest of Neverland," she informed before turning back around and leading the small group to one of her most loyal friends on this island.

Tinkerbell had helped her out the most when she was still recovering from the loss of her brother and Thomas.

 **To be continued…**


	15. The blue eyed brother

**A/N: Hey guys, it's been a while, but this update is pretty heavy. Also, Hook is a complete and total jerk. I agree with you guys.**

 **Thank you for your reviews, favorites, and follows! Means a lot to me!**

 **Warning: Depicts actions of suicide.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

Stop there and let me correct it  
I wanna live a life from a new perspective  
You come along because I love your face  
and I'll admire your expensive taste

~ "New Perspective" PATD

* * *

Ch. 15 – The blue eyed brother

 **(Past)**

Lily stared absently at the camp fire that continued to dance with the wind. The small pieces of ash embraced the wind current and strode away into the night sky. She continued to ignore the blaring music of the lost, pushing it towards the endless depths of her mind.

The music held all of the wrong chords pushed together. It sounded like a heap of musical trash that she would never be able to appreciate. Pan played it without any emotion except obsession, desire, and dark glee. She knew that the music and Pan's group of Lost Ones were the only ones that she had left.

Even then she didn't have the Lost Ones. She didn't want to attempt to get close to any of them in case Pan decided to use them against her. Hook was certainly right about one thing – she killed anyone that she got close to.

She had nothing.

It was strange seeing the once lively Tiger Lily become dull. She did what she was told to do by Pan and Felix, taking every passing second with an empty grain of salt.

Eat.

Sleep.

 _Live._

The last one was a little hard for her to do. She didn't know what else there was to live for. Placing her head in her hand, and her elbows propped up on her knees, she continued to stare blankly into the flickering flames of the campfire. With every gust of wind, the flames would dance and taunt her to jump in. The wood that would screech when some of the younger boys put logs into the fire guaranteed that the fire was scorching hot.

When she stared into the fire, it was a retreat from her everlasting and eternal life. It was the depths of the fires that promised death, and why wouldn't death be so bad?

She blinked as she straightened her posture. Lowering her arms down to her sides – it was the first time that such a dark and hopeless thought spread across her lonely mind. She planted her feet on the ground and continued to stare into the frivolous flames.

Why wouldn't death be so bad?

What could she possibly have _left_ here?

Suddenly, all she could hear was the encompassing sounds of the grasshoppers and other nocturnal animals that were in the neighboring woods. Confused, she glanced around the camp and noticed that she no longer could hear the music of the lost. Pan's flute that he was playing was certainly still attached to his lips – and he was still playing. The Lost Ones were all parading around the campfire, laughing, howling, and having a great time at Pan's demonic music.

It was the realization that made her gain something that she hadn't felt in a long time – determination.

Standing up slowly, she crossed her arms and hugged herself. She needed some air – the campfire smoke was already intoxicating her sense of smell and she would prefer to clear her head. "I'm going for a walk," she muttered out to Felix as she passed him. He took a step towards her, but stopped when Pan placed a hand on his shoulder to halt him.

"Let her go," Pan said, eyeing the retreating girl with a dangerous glint in his gaze. He knew that she had no one else left except for them. She was dependent on them – and would return within a few days at the most.

"But, Pan-!" Felix began to protest, but stopped when Pan gave him a glare to silence him. Felix placed his head down in defeat and submission. The word of Peter Pan was law in Neverland – this was not to be taken lightly. Felix being Pan's right hand man would never be one to question his judgement.

Pan levitated in the air and crossed his legs causally in front of him, " _Where_ is she going to _go_?" He asked rhetorically as he shook his head in amusement, all traces of his anger gone. Felix watched his leader with a stoic expression. "There's only us on Neverland; she'll come back," he muttered out, shaking his head in delight.

Suddenly, the music stopped, and the lost ones fell to the ground all in an out of breath heap. Felix gazed at the underlings and then at his fearless and dark leader. He knew he shouldn't question him, but there was something dangerous about the girl's walk – she wasn't in time with the music.

* * *

 **(Present)**

" **I don't like him** ," Water grumbled, swinging out her knife more forcefully than she should have. The jungle forest paid victim to her misplaced aggression when she swung out once more to cut a long growing vine. Glaring at the thick forest in front of her, she let out an unbecoming swear from under her breath.

"I've raised you better than that," Tiger lectured out, bringing a hand out to stop the adult female from swinging out again. Water was in mid swing before her sister's hand landed on her lower arm. Puzzled, Water looked over at the strong and young confident warrior that stood in front of her.

" **He is my mother's son** ," Tiger stated, and Water let out a scowl of disgust before a gentle hand was placed on her face. Tiger tilted her head down a small bit so that the adult female was looking down at her. " **He doesn't know** ," she said as she glanced over at the group of adults that were lagging behind.

Water's eyes widened in disbelief, " **He does not know about our heritage**?" She asked, shaking her head in anger. They said that ignorance was bliss, yet this was a big part of their history. The man didn't know that he had native blood running through his veins. Water was beginning to feel her anger rise at an alarming rate - that was a big insult to her. " **How**? **Was he not on Neverland**?"

Tiger let go of the girl's face before letting out a small exhausted sigh. She knew how conflicted Water was feeling about her blood brother. " **No one knew that there were natives on Neverland** …" She muttered before swinging out her sword to cut down large brush that was standing in her way. It parted in the middle, making the rest of the plant fall to the ground in opposite directions. " **You can't blame him for that**."

"I will blame!" Water yelled out in protest with broken English. "He let you rot!" She shrieked, making a swinging motion in the air before aiming her knife towards the group of adults that had just then caught up to the native American duo. "I _never_ forgive!"

The knife was targeted precisely at the head of Fin.

"Ayah, can't a girl get a little-!" Came Tink's voice from above them before it stopped just as Water was about to throw her knife at Fin. The man let out a glare at being threatened and was about to raise his sword out to block it expertly with the blade, but was stopped by the entrance of the blonde haired woman.

Tiger turned and looked up at the tree house that was above them. "Yearly checkup, Tink," Tiger said in a flat tone, making the blonde haired ex-fairy look at the girl in the eyes with a grin.

Tink scratched her short blonde hair in thought before letting out a small chuckle in realization. "I suppose it is," she agreed, throwing down the rope ladder to let her guest come up. "Still, you didn't have to bring the _child_ with ya…" She muttered, glancing at Water Lily from the corner of her eyes.

"What you say!" Water growled out, clenching the handle of the knife in her hands tightly at the insult.

"Let's all calm down," Mary Margret stated as she slowly walked forward with her hands up defensively. If there was one thing that Snow White was famous for - it was diffusing a bad situation from escalating. On the other hand, she was famous for the opposite outcome as well. She didn't know if her presence and opinion would add fuel to the fire, or help extinguish it.

Tink fully turned around to get a better look at the odd adult group before her. After a few seconds of looking at their attire and faces in examination she spoke once again. "Well, I take it ya all don't work for Pan," she stated obviously before resting her arms on the hand rail that enclosed her small balcony of her tree house. "Why don't ya come up here and we can talk about this…" She trailed, turning around before waving her hand behind her. "Er... _odd_ circumstance," she finished before opening up the door and heading in.

The group of adults all exchanged weary looks of uneasiness. David looked over at Tiger, and the girl nodded. The silent conversation was all that David needed as confirmation that this 'Tink' could be trusted. David took the rope ladder and slowly made his ascent to the tree house above. One by one the rest of the group copied the same action. When Hook placed his good hand on the rope, he noticed that Tiger and Water were off to the side.

"Aren't you heading up, lass?" Hook asked in curiosity as he looked at Tiger Lily expectantly. He believed in the old chivalrous motto of 'ladies first' and wasn't one to abandon the act of 'respectable man'.

"I'm not the social bonding type," Tiger dryly stated out, looking away from the pirate all the while crossing her arms snugly across her chest. "People who I grow close to I get killed," she spat out with a small amount of spite before glancing at him from the corner of her eyes. "Aren't _you_ the one that said that to me, Hook?"

Hook's eyes flashed with remorse before looking down at the ground. He couldn't argue with his words from decades ago, he had meant every word that came out of his mouth. Truly, he wanted to make it up to the teenager, but it seemed as if she wasn't going to accept his apology. He stood there for a few seconds, and no words came to him to help diffuse the long feud between them.

Letting out a quiet exhale from his nostrils, he took his hook to the ladder and began to climb vertically towards the tree house entrance.

When Fin placed a hand on the ladder, Water raised her knife up to the man with a glare. "Not you," she hissed out, making him glower at the adult female.

"What do you have against me?" Fin asked, not once raising his voice. He would never yell at a woman no matter how badly he was treated by them. Much like his surrogate father, he held on to certain chivalrous beliefs. However, unlike Hook, he hardly lost his temper.

Tiger looked at him before letting out a soft sigh. It wasn't his fault he didn't know about his heritage on Neverland. How was he supposed to know that their mother was born here? Placing a hand on Water's shoulder to prevent her from lashing out, she waved them towards the forest.

However, at that moment, a surge of darkness seeped into her body. It was absorbed into her skin quicker than she was able to pull away. The darkness was violent and obsessive, and she knew it was familiar.

Her plan was to tell her brother about the native tribe, but now…

She was certain that Water Lily was connected to Pan.

She wasn't quite sure how – she was certain that Water Lily wouldn't have gotten caught. Tiger had raised Water herself, the woman was supposed to know these woods like the back of her hand. Tiger had hoped that would be enough to prevent Water's capture. Apparently she was wrong. Water Lily somehow did – and now Pan was controlling her - he could use her as leverage against her.

Still, she didn't know exactly when Pan would reveal himself.

"Let's have a chat," Tiger said, not giving any of her thoughts away. Fin glanced at this sister before nodding firmly. She took her hand off of her tribal sister's shoulder and began to walk towards the shrubs.

Away from anyone else that Pan could hurt so she could confront and expose him.

* * *

 **(Past)**

Tinkerbell wasn't expecting any visitors. Peter Pan had left her alone, and she had left him alone. That's why when she noticed a girl dragging her feet past her tree house, she rose an eyebrow. It was unexpected – not once had she seen a girl on Neverland, aside from herself.

"Darlin', what are ya doing out there?" Tink called from her window up from her house in the trees.

Lily looked up from the ground and noticed the tree house that was in front of her. Walking backwards from the house in a hurried, scared rush, she backed herself into a tree. Tink let out a face of concern before opening up her cloth door and walking outside.

" _Not_ going to hurt ya," Tink responded, placing her hands in the air to show she meant no harm. Lily eyed the hands warily, and then slowly let out a shaky breath. She hadn't made a word the entire time she was on her journey. Too preoccupied with her own self-despair to even talk to herself.

Jumping down from her tree house, the green cladded blonde haired woman landed on one knee. Lily was amazed that she wasn't hurt or injured from her fall. The two girl looked at each other, and Tink slowly stood up. The woman was careful to not make any sudden movements – the girl seemed as if she were an abused animal.

It seemed that even a sudden noise would spook the girl.

"I'm Tinkerbell – call me Tink…" Tink introduced, advancing carefully over to the girl. Lily observed her from a distance, taking in her words. It was strange to see another female on the island – could it have been Pan playing mind games on her? Make her see things that weren't there to begin with?

To make her submit to him and have her broken?

It wouldn't be the first time the teenager had played dirty - and Lily doubted it would be the last.

"Your name, sweetness?" Tink asked, now a few feet away from the trembling girl. "What's your name?" She asked again, and Lily looked up into her brave eyes. Tink seemed to be taken aback by her silence, and slumped her shoulders. "We'll come back to that question, alright?"

Lily nodded her head in response.

"Why don't you come inside and get changed? I have a few extra clothes – and by the looks of yours…" Tink trailed, looking at the shivering girl in front of her. She noticed the layout of the clothes immediately, anyone who knew Pan knew that he had a thing for green. Not to mention, the clothes themselves were from the Enchanted Forest. All the teenager needed to do was teleport them over to give to his boys.

Lily shook her head and stood up, "I can't get close to anyone," she suddenly said, her voice coming out groggy from the lack of use. Tink stared wide eyed at the girl finally talking, and the blonde haired woman crossed her arms stubbornly.

"Pan tell you that?" Tinkerbell asked with a dry, knowing tone. She knew the immortal teenager enough to know his trade methods at breaking people down. The whole 'You only need me' spiel was enough to draw in the boys. It wasn't enough to draw in her, hence why she's in the middle of the forest and away from him.

"Hook…" Lily muttered, and Tink put a hand on her head exaggeratively. The girl looked at the ground, holding her knees up to her chest. "Anyone I get close to dies…"

Tink let out a scoff, "That's a steaming pile of shit if I ever smelled it," she spat out before shaking her head. Lily looked up at the woman, and Tink let out a soft smile. "Tell ya what, sweetness, ya ever need me and I'll be here."

Lily didn't look too sure, but nodded unconfidently regardless.

"I'll get you those clothes. I take it that you and green teen had a falling out as of late…" Tink stated, mostly to herself as she began to head back to the house. She suddenly stopped before turning back to look at the girl. "Still never told me your name."

Lily closed her eyes, and all signs of her being terrified and scared had disappeared.

If Pan had wanted her to get over the deaths of her fiancé and brother, then she would. Lily wouldn't be able to carry the burden of their deaths, but Tiger might. She needed to be strong – she needed to be a warrior and be fearless.

Opening them back up, she looked right into Tink's eyes.

Tink had become a sort of role model for her in the brief time that she was here with her. If Tink could be fearless and confident, then she would be as well.

"Tiger Lily," Tiger responded, standing up without trembling. "My name is Tiger Lily."

* * *

Two weeks had passed, and Pan was gaining on her location. How she completely managed to avoid him for two weeks, the teenager had no clue. It wasn't as if she were being careful and covering her tracks properly. She did try, but she wasn't an expert at being stealthy.

A branch broke, and she carefully pulled out an arrow and positioned it against the bow in her hands. She was standing in the middle of an open clearing – her bow and arrow prepped to be shot. It wasn't the ideal place to stop, but it was better to make a move where she was able to. It wasn't as if she would be able to fight skillfully in the middle of the forest where a tree might interfere with an attack.

She waited for a good few seconds, her mind racing.

It was Pan.

He had finally found her.

Had he purposefully made a noise to put her on edge?

She scanned the area where the noise came from. Expecting him to emerge from the forest, she should have known that he would use teleportation to get the jump on her.

"What are you looking for?" Pan asked into her ear from beside her.

Tiger's hair on the back of her neck stood up straight, and she quickly turned around, just not in time to send her attack into the teen who she hated with a passion. Pan swatted her weapon out of her hands with his magic effortlessly. He smirked at her attempt to fight back, and knew it was a far better outcome than her being despondent at camp.

He knew all about Tinkerbell, and knew that she would run into her. He hoped that it would fuel some life back into the girl. His words that he spoke were true 'she would get over it' and she would with time. Time would heal all wounds, and luckily for the two of them, they had all the time in the world.

Tiger let out quick gasp and tried to take a step away from him, only for the teen to latch his deathly cold hand upon her wrist. Immediately she tried to jerk away her hand from his cold grasp but found that his grip was too tight.

"Was that meant for _me_?" He asked again, knowing that the girl still wasn't completely over the loss of her loved ones. Pan noticed it in her eyes, she tried desperately to mask her emotions and push them aside but knew it would all come out.

Tiger tried to punch him with her free hand, only for him to catch her fist in his. "Stop!" She yelled, tears flooding down her face. She refused to look up at him, the death of her brother still fresh in her mind. The loss of Aleks was also hitting close to her heart. In those quick moments, she had lost everyone that she had cared for.

"H-How could you…" She trailed, losing the strength to stand. Her hands shook, and she started to tremble from the raw, uncontrolled emotions that were going through her.

Pan let her slide to the ground, watching her intently to see what she would do. After all, she had escaped from him for two weeks. Two weeks was enough time for him to feel the sand to start once again. His power was still strong, but it was dwindling at a fast rate without her by his side.

So, he needed to be alert, she would do anything to make him die. He figured that this two week vacation away from him was supposed to do the trick. He had to hide an amused smirk at that, her efforts were recognizable, but futile in the end. He would not be going down that easily - especially not by her hands.

"How could I what? Kill Dent?" He asked, no emotion in his voice. He then furrowed his eyebrows, as if in thought, "Or perhaps it was _Aleks_?"

" _Bastard_!" She yelled up at him, looking him in his cold eyes. There was a flicker of something in Pans' eyes, but Tiger knew it wasn't regret. It was always amusement with him. It was as if she was a little toy that he just loved to play with and no matter what she did to try and get the upper hand, it was never enough.

"Let go of me!" She ordered loudly struggling to get out of his grasp.

"Why aren't you in our clothing?" Pan asked, dodging the conversation as he looked on at her. Tiger narrowed her eyes at him. She would never willingly dress as one of them again. The clothes that Tinkerbell had given her were a far better choice than to be associated with Pan and his murderous tendencies.

Her silence was enough to make him let out a chuckle, but he held it in. Instead, he decided to antagonize the girl and see exactly how much life had returned to her. "What will I tell our brothers?" He asked in mock disappointment, shaking his head dramatically.

She let out a growl, "They _aren't_ my family," she hissed out, looking him right in the eyes once again. He looked at her and knew that she only held hate for him. Still, he would rather be staring into the eyes filled with hate than eyes filled with nothing.

"I hate _them_ and I hate _you_. You are _nothing_ to me," she retorted, knowing it would get under his skin. She wasn't disappointed when he narrowed his own eyes at her, if only for less than a minute. He had felt something other than his usual pompous emotions.

Still, that was a small victory that the girl would bask in, if only for a couple of seconds.

Pan stood up, letting go of the girl. Tiger scrambled away, stealthily grabbing a fistful of the sand deposit that was located at the bed of the lake. "I think someone's homesick," he spoke in a teasing tone, revealing that smug smirk that Tiger had learned to despise. It also meant trouble, and most likely a violent game of whatever Pan was thinking of playing at the time.

"Eat a dick," Tiger countered, which made Pan laugh genuinely at her vulgar comeback. He had to admit though, she was getting better with her insults. It was definitely a step up from when she had first arrived on his island.

"Tiger Lily, that's not a nice thing to say," Pan lectured, walking over to where the teen girl was currently sitting down. He snapped his fingers, and soon the Lost Ones emerged from the forest. Tiger glanced to them, noticing how each one had the smile of a predator on their face. The smiles were menacing; as if they were about to play a twisted game.

"Boys, let's bring our sister back home, shall we?" He addressed the group behind him, taking his eyes off Tiger for a short while.

Tiger took that opportunity to use an extremely dirty tactic. She quickly stood up and tossed the sand into the face of Peter Pan before quickly running away. She was too caught up in running that all she could hear was his rage.

They weren't much words, they were more so growls and hisses. The girl knew that she needed to make as much distance between her and Pan as possible. He was out for blood now, and she didn't need two guesses to know that it was hers.

An axe flew by her, scraping skin off her exposed arm. Blood emerged from the injury, and the teen placed a hand over the wound, knowing she would need to stitch it up later. She healed quickly – but not that quickly.

"I nicked her!" Screamed one of the younger boys, obviously proud of his accomplishment. Tiger let out an unbecoming swear underneath her breath, darting into the forest where she had set up numerous traps.

Good thing her father taught her a few of the precautionaries back when she was home.

Hearing a group behind her she slapped a tree next to her that was on its last legs. It fell with a deafening crack, making a few arrows being launched backwards to the group of boys. Tiger kept an ear out for any signs of impact and wasn't disappointed when she heard the cries of pain. Still, heavy footsteps were still coming after her, and she knew that the next trap wasn't until a few feet away - give or take.

"Get back here, Lil!" Ordered Felix, and Tiger sped up her pace, knowing that getting caught would most likely lead to pain and suffering. Especially with what she was doing right now. Injuring the Lost Ones, throwing dirt into the eyes of the legendary Peter Pan…

Hell, she might as well have had a wanted poster being posted on the trees with all the havoc she was causing.

"Make me!" Tiger responded back, narrowly avoiding tomahawks being throwing at her. She dodge rolled into a thicket of small trees, turning a sharp right. She heard the slamming of the weapons in the tree that was just in front of her before she had turned. No time to catch her breath, she quickly stood up and continued her sprint. Luckily for her, she was well acquainted with this area, and knew exactly where all the tree roots, and large boulder were.

She was unprepared, however, to come face to face with Pan himself.

He was floating in front of her, his arms crossed stiffly across his chest. The girl immediately came to a screeching halt, and looked up at him. She was out of breath from all the constant running, but she would not appear weak in front of him. Her chest raised and lowered at a fast beat, she wasn't sure if it was from the running, or if it was from her fear of him.

"Lil," he addressed, though his tone held a strictness to it, one that a parent would use when talking to their child. "Time to go home."

Tiger took a step back, and found that the Lost Ones, or the remaining numbers of them, had appeared behind her. Each had their weapon raised, with menacing grins on their faces. She looked back at Pan and found that his Shadow was hovering next to him. It wasn't hard for her to realize that she was trapped, and Pan wanted to make sure she knew that.

"You really think I'll just _go_ with you?" She sarcastically asked, making Pan land on the ground. When his feet touched the dirt, it made a louder sound than necessary. To Tiger's ears it seemed to resonate a 'fight or flight' instinct within her.

But there wasn't a choice of a flight or a fight.

"I think you will," Pan responded confidently, walking over to the girl. "You don't have anywhere to run," he began to explain, but then thought of another option with a smug smirk. "Or anywhere to hide."

"I guess so…" Tiger said, looking down at the ground. She wiped a bead of sweat that was on the side of her face with the back of her hand.

When the two of them were within several feet of each other, it was then when Pan felt the sand to slow down. It stopped completely, and Pan let out a sinister smirk. Tiger knew that expression; she knew what it entailed, and she hated knowing that as long as she was around Pan he would live forever.

 _As long as she was around._

A dangerous thought came to her, and she slowly took out a well-sharpened knife from her pocket. Pan stopped walking and looked at her in confusion. The dangerous thoughts from before at the campfire came back at her in full force.

What _did_ she have to live for?

She looked up at him with a smirk of her own. "I'm never going to win this little game of ours, Peter," she spoke in a gentle tone. Pan froze at hearing such a voice on the usually feisty girl in front of him. It was the same tone she used when she would console her little brother many decades ago.

"You're never going to let me go, and I'm just…" She trailed, turning the blade over in her hands. Her reflection appeared on the blade, and she looked down at it. She held a strong resolve to do this – it was the only way to escape this hell that she was forced to live in.

Pan knew where she was going with this, and he couldn't stop her from where he was at, "Tiger Lily…" He warned dangerously, his eyes narrowed on the girl that held his life, as long as her own life, in her hands.

"Put the knife down," he ordered sternly.

"I'm tired," Tiger continued, as if she had never been interrupted. "I miss my family, Peter," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I miss my father, and my brother…" She whispered, letting tears run down her cheeks, "My mother," she choked out, looking back at him with a small smile on her face. "I miss Thomas. I _want_ to _see_ them."

"Tiger-!" Pan yelled, having his hand out to grab the knife as he ran over to her. Tiger saw his panic, his worry, and most of all, his anger. She quickly took the knife to her throat, and in one fell swoop swiped her neck.

5...

At first, she found it hard to breathe, and then she fell to the ground. The pain was unimaginable, one that she would never be able to take. A liquid substance started to cover her body, and she looked down to see that it was blood.

There was so much blood.

4...

The knife fell out of her hands, but she still couldn't breathe. She never imagined that the need to breathe would so urgent. Placing her hands up to her neck, she tried her best to breathe – in through her mouth and out through her mouth. Yet, nothing would happen, and no air would go through her body.

The coldness started to seep into her skin, and she could hear her heartbeat start to slow. It echoed through her ears, and darkness started to swarm into her vision.

Pan quickly rushed over to her, picking her up in his arms. Cradling her head in his arms carefully, he narrowed his eyes at her. He was screaming something at her, words that she couldn't hear or comprehend given her condition, but she didn't care.

She felt tired and mentally exhausted from everything that had happened. Emotions seemed to be lost to her, and the world around her started to become blurry along with becoming darker. She wasn't aware that she had blinked until she opened her eyes and saw that Pan's hand was approaching her head. Furrowing her eyebrows when he placed a worried hand on her face, she tilted her head away from him.

3...

2...

She closed her eyes and waited for death to take her…

1…

* * *

 **(Present)**

Fin followed the two girls from behind, wondering exactly where they were going. It was an unfamiliar area that was a part of Neverland. He had tried to map out the entire island, but found that it was impossible. The island shifted every few 'days' making maps ultimately useless.

Suddenly the two girls stopped, and Tiger turned to Water with a grim look in her eyes. "How long were you going to put up this act?" She asked, venom dripping off of her tongue.

Water rose an eyebrow, not understanding what was happening. Fin raised his own eyebrow as he approached the two of them, only to be stopped by a white transparent barrier. "What's going on?" Fin asked curiously all the while pulling out the sword from his holster. "Lilith!"

"Pan pulling a fast one," Tiger informed, making Water look at the girl.

"Tiger, I no understand…?" She asked, taking a step over to her sister. Tiger frowned, and her eyes softened at the pure concern and worry on her sister's face. "What happening?" She asked almost in fear before her hands went up to her chest, as if someone was crushing her heart.

Silence overcame the area, and soon Water started to laugh as she doubled over. Her arms clutching her ribs as she did so. "Give me some credit, Lil," Pan's voice came from the girl. She stood up straight, and Tiger took a few steps back as she pulled out her own sword and aimed it at the throat of her tribal sister.

Tiger narrowed her eyes at Water, and Water took a few steps forward. Water's hands were behind her back innocently. "I told you that I could find her," Pan gloated, a grin spreading across Water's face. "She had almost escaped – but I knew I could catch a little savage if I put in a little effort."

"How are you doing this?" Tiger demanded, making Water let out a dark chuckle. Water teleported directly in front of her and was looking at her with admiration – and it was the kind that found that she was adorable, not with the respect that Water usually showed her.

"Answer me, Pan," Tiger ordered, her hand shaking a small amount at what she was doing.

She was holding a blade to her sister's throat.

Fin started to pound on the forcefield. "Lilith, let me fight!" He yelled, making Tiger glance at him for a split second. Her brother wouldn't waste a second to end Pan, even if that included her tribal sister. Tiger knew this and placed a barrier around so that he would stay out of it. She couldn't risk letting Water get hurt.

"Let her-!" Tiger yelled as she took another step back but tripped over a rock that she hadn't seen before. It was because she was flustered – she never thought that Pan would take another one of her loved ones hostage.

In seconds she was on the ground with Water pouncing on top of her and grabbing her wrists, restraining her in place. Tiger peered into Water's blue eyes and saw how vacant they looked.

"Can't fight your sister, can you?" Pan asked, tightening his hold on the girl's wrists. Tiger let out a wince of pain, not aware that Water was this strong. "How heroic of you, Lil, really," Pan complimented before Water's face contorted into a smirk.

A crack was heard and Tiger knew that one of her wrists were broken by the pain that was sent through her arm. Holding in a scream of agony, she blinked her emotions away and instead stared with watery eyes into the cold eyes of her sister.

"What was your main goal, Pan?" Tiger seethed out, struggling to form words under the pain that she was currently suffering. Water's head perked up and she listened intently to the words coming from Tiger's mouth. "For me to lead you to the native village?" She asked, making Water grin.

"If I _wanted_ that, I could have had _this_ savage show me," Pan said with a shrug of indifference. "No, I wanted the _both_ of you to show me before I annihilate the entire race," he added, making Tiger glare at him. " _Right_ _in front of you_."

Tiger quickly brought up her knees up to Water's chest, making Pan widen his eyes at how fast she was. The teenager kicked him away before rolling backwards to kneel on the ground. She picked up the sword that she had dropped before and held it in her left hand.

It was the only wrist that wasn't broken.

Water landed on the ground with a grunt of pain before she looked up at Tiger, "You would harm her?" He asked, "Your own sister? Your family?"

"It's not her," Tiger argued heartlessly before standing up and walking dangerously over to the downed girl on the ground. She hoped he wouldn't see through her bluff. Never would she take the life of Water Lily - she wasn't capable of doing it. Still, she acted as if she didn't care and held her stone cold emotionless face without giving anything away. Her sword was positioned over Water's body before the adult Native American let out a sadistic grin.

* * *

 **(Past)**

She had to do a double take.

It was an identical city to her hometown; but it couldn't be. Lilith appeared on one of the streets outside of her two story apartment. "N-No way…" She trailed, running over to where the house was, excitement pouring through her.

"I made it home!" She exclaimed, opening up the door of her home, hoping to see her father and brother again. In her overwhelming emotions, she had forgotten that she had essentially killed herself. "Father! Andy!" She yelled, not bothering to close the door behind her. She ran into the dining room, and her eyes lit up when she found that her father was sitting at the head of the table.

"Lilith!" He yelled, standing up from his seat and running over to his daughter, "My darling little girl!" He yelled again, his tears running down his face as he embraced her tightly. His sobs started to get lost with the girl's own sobs. "My darling little girl…!" He yelled, not seeming to believe that she was in front of him.

"Father!" She yelled, returning the hug with all of her strength. She had forgotten how long it had been, but she was so happy to see him. "W-Where's Andy?" She asked through her tears, her father finally letting go of her after a few minutes. "And Thomas?"

Her father shook his head as he wiped away his tears, "They are…not here, little girl," he said his pet name for his daughter. "But…" He trailed, looking back into the kitchen, "Someone is here to see you," he said in a gentle tone.

Lilith followed his gaze and soon a woman emerged from the kitchen, her long flowing hair was tied loosely into a pony-tail. She was dressed in all white, and she appeared to look like a Goddess.

"Mother…" She breathed out, not believing that the woman whom she had missed in all of the worlds was in front of her.

"Lilith!" She yelled, running over to the girl and hugging her, much like her father had done merely a minute ago. "You've grown into such a nice young lady!" She commented, though her voice was muffled because of Lilith's clothes. The teen girl was dressed in her school uniform, before she had been spirited away to Neverland. "Such a _strong_ and _determined_ young lady," she whispered.

"I've missed you, mother!" She yelled, not wanting to let go. Not ever wanting to let go. Her mother and father felt the same, and again her father joined them on their hug, not wanting to let go of his daughter. "I missed the both of you so much!" She yelled, not caring how weak she looked or sounded. She was amongst her family, and she let her emotions over take her.

"I have so many things to ask you!" Lilith yelled as she dug her face deeper into her mother's upper body.

She hadn't felt this in a very long time, and she felt safe. Lilith let go of her guard, and therefore didn't hear the door to the dining room slam open until it was too late.

"I would hate to break up such a reunion…" Pan hissed out, making the family look over at the teen boy. The mother with concern, the father with anger, and Lilith with unspoken fear.

He couldn't be here.

He couldn't be here - it was impossible.

"Lil knows I'm _all_ _about family_ ," he stated in a slow manner, a smirk appearing on his face.

Lilith's face turned a pale white in fear. "W-What, how are you here?" She asked, taking a step back. "I was free of you!" She yelled in disbelief. She was shocked to see that Pan was standing before her dressed in England clothing. His hair was styled to the side, making him look like a normal teen boy, and not a savage sadist of the jungle.

Lilith's father stood in front of her protectively. "Stay away from my daughter, you heathen!" He yelled, grabbing a candle holder from a nearby shelving unit. Pan looked over at the man and then let out a half chuckle at his pathetic attempt to be a hero. "She belongs with _us_!"

"She _belongs_ to me," Pan stated in a possessive manner. "Isn't that right, Tiger Lily?" He asked, walking over to the girl, who started to shiver at the sight of the teen. She was frozen in place and only saw her father go flying backwards across the room.

"Father!" She yelled at the downed man, not wanting to see her family be hurt in any sort of way. "Stop, Pan!" She yelled as he had his hand raised at her mother. Pan looked at the girl and then started to laugh uncontrollably. It was as if what she had asked him was the most hilarious thing he had heard in his entire eternal life.

"You didn't listen to _me_ when you chose to end your life…" He trailed darkly, looking over at the mother. "Why should I listen to _you_?" He asked, throwing his hand up in the air, making her mother fly across the room, landing on her father roughly.

"Although, this is certainly not what I was expecting to see…" He trailed, walking over to the fallen mother that was on the ground. Lilith held her breath when she thought that he was walking over to her, but instead passed her and walked up to her mother.

"Pan," Her mother breathed out in recognition. Lilith stared at the interaction, not understanding what was happening. Her eyes darting between her mother and Pan in absolute confusion. "Leave my daughter alone! Please!"

Pan tilted his head to the side, as if thinking about the request. Then he let out a small chuckle and shook his head in delight. "I don't think so, Tiger Lily," he stated before looking at the girl who was trembling where she stood. When Lilith realized that his attention was focused on her, she took a step back. "The old Tiger Lily might have been my partner at one point, but I much prefer the new one."

Lilith fell to the ground in shock, she didn't understand what was going on.

"You couldn't have me so you settled for my _daughter_?" Her mother asked, slowly standing up against the wall with her hand over her mid-section in pain. "You're sick and disturbed. Lilith was never _meant_ to see Neverland!"

Pan let out a smirk, "The fact of the matter is that she did. You didn't want to stay, so I settled on the next best thing."

"Why…?" Lilith whispered, letting tears fall from her face. Pan shook his head at the woman before he walked over to the girl and grabbed the girl's wrist carelessly and pulled her up. A small crack came from the wrist, and the girl let out a small wince.

Pan didn't answer her as he started to pull her back to where he had entered from. The entryway from the hallway to the dining room turned pitch black and started to swirl. It looked like a portal to hell, and in some ways it was. She would rather die again and again then go back to Neverland for one second.

"No!" Lilith yelled, somehow knowing that the pitch black doorway would return her to the dreaded island. "No! I want to stay!" She yelled, trying to grab anything as they passed that would help her stay. Her hand gripped the bookcase, but with a sharp tug, Pan made her let go of it.

She watched as the books fell from the book case. The book case itself seemed to fall down in slow motion. Her mother looked into her scared eyes, and she raised a hand out to grab hold of her daughter's shaking one.

The teen boy didn't spare her a second glance. "You know you can't escape me, Tiger Lily," he whispered as they were about to enter the doorway. The darkness in the doorway was enough to make the girl tremble with fear. "Our souls are connected now and forever," he stated, pulling the girl in as he finally decided to look at the defeated girl.

"In life and death…"

She wouldn't stop crying, and she chose to look at the ground rather than him. With one last look, she gazed upon her family. However, her vision was starting to darken, and she could feel her body becoming heavier with each passing second.

* * *

 **(Present)**

"You're bluffing," Water stated, making Tiger tense up at seeing her false bravado failing. Water stood up and slowly lowered the raised sword by the blade with her index finger so that it was pointing at the ground. "This is your weakness; the ones that you care about being used against you."

Tiger was silent and instead the forcefield surrounding the fighting area flickered due to her unfocused mind.

How could he have gotten her?

Did Water Lily come back for her after many times of being told to return back to camp?

 _How_ is he _doing_ this?

"Pan," Tiger whispered, making Water lean her body closer to her downed head. Her head was right above Tiger's and her vacant blue eyes were staring up at her.

They were pleading – telling Tiger to end her suffering. That Water would rather die than become a tool used by Pan himself.

"What do you want from me?" She asked emotionlessly. "To admit that you've won our petty battle over the decades?"

"That _would_ be nice," Pan casually stated as he let a wicked smirk grow on Water's face. Tiger quickly looked away – it didn't belong on there. Not on her precious tribal sister's face. Never would Water Lily ever succumb to negative thoughts.

Fin pounded on the forcefield again, and Water looked over at the man with an uninterested look. "But rather, I would prefer it if you returned back to camp."

The girl's heartbeat started to race. She wouldn't return back to camp, she wouldn't go anywhere that he would have control over her and dictate her actions. Never again – she wouldn't do it. Just because she was trapped on Neverland, didn't meant she had to be trapped with Pan. As long as there were other options aside from him she would never go back to camp.

Tiger clenched her fists and swallowed down her building fear. "No," she responded back sternly, letting herself be heard strongly and accurately.

"Did I hear that correctly, Lil?" Pan mocked, taking a few steps closer to the girl. "You would rather endanger this woman's life than… _simply_ return to camp?"

"Nothing is ever _simple_ with you," Tiger spat out, glaring at the teenager in front of her.

Pan let out a sigh, "And here I thought that I'd be a nice guy and let you willingly return back to me…" He trailed out before materializing a jagged dagger in the girl's hands. Tiger's eyes grew wide before she put a hand out to snatch the weapon away from Water, but she was too slow.

Water had jumped away from her reach with a grin, "I'm going to take you regardless if you want it or not, but," he mused, looking at the weapon with an unusual asphyxiation in his eyes. "It was a choice for you to decide if she _lives_ or not."

"Pan-!" Tiger began to yell but was stopped when Water unwillingly brought the weapon up to her throat. She then began to release tears from her eyes that trailed down her cheeks. "Stop, I'll go with you," she said in a hurried rush.

"Hmm?" Pan asked, looking over at the girl with a genuine smile, "But that's what you said on our last deal. That you would stay in the camp. I don't think I can trust you this time," he stated, slowly starting to slit the woman's throat.

Thinking quickly, Tiger decided to try and stop Water with the use of her magic.

Tiger's eyes illuminated white before Water raised a hand to counter the defensive magic lazily. At seeing that her last resort didn't work, the girl slowly sat on her knees. "Stop!" She cried out, placing her hands on the ground. "Don't kill her, don't, don't, don't!" She pleaded, making the forcefield around the area weak. Lowering her head, she looked at the the ground in defeat. There was nothing that she could do except to give into him. Water Lily had to be saved - Tiger would be sure that she wouldn't die by the hands of Pan - not like Kongol had.

Water let out a triumphant grin at seeing the state that the girl was in. Pan had seen it time and time again whenever someone she cared about was being threatened. He loved seeing it – and he would never grow tired of seeing her pleading for him to stop.

Fin smashed his hands against it before it broke. He quickly ran over to his sister and placed a sword in between them and Water. "Drop the weapon!" Fin ordered, and Water's eyes flickered over to the man before it landed once again on the girl.

"What will you do if you go back to camp?" Water asked, and Tiger lifted her head and stared directly into Water's eyes. "Will you be a good girl this time?"

"Will you stop being such a…!" Tiger began to grumble out but was stopped when Water drew the dagger closer to her neck. Tiger froze up and knew that it was stupid to even insult Pan when he held one of love ones at risk. "Okay!" She yelled out, raising her hands up as she slowly stood up to her feet. "I'll be a _good_ girl," she hissed out, completely miserable that this was actually happening.

Yet, if submitting to Pan like this was enough to save Water's life, she would do it.

Fin looked behind Water with relieved eyes, "Pan, you think you're the only one that can pull that trick?" He asked, and Water's eyes traveled over to him.

Water furrowed her eyebrows, "What are you getting at, Dent?"

"You're not the only one that came from the Enchanted Forest…" Fin trailed mysteriously, and Water's eyes narrowed at what he was insinuating.

"We're not done here," Pan promised before Water collapsed on the ground. The dagger flew out of her hands and dematerialized as soon as it hit the ground. The native adult passed out from being controlled.

Tiger was at her side with concern, "Water Lily!" She yelled out, holding her body in her arms.

"Good thing we came just in time," Regina stated, along with the group of adults trailing behind her. Tinkerbell emerged from the brush with a long sigh.

"Always excitement when ya come to visit, Tiger," Tink muttered before shaking her head.

* * *

 **(Past)**

"No!" Tiger screamed waking up from what she assumed had been a dream. She quickly looked around the area and found that she was in a tent. Not just any tent, but Pan's tent. She tried to stand up, but found that she was shackled to the bed in the room. "No, no, no…" She whispered quickly, tugging at the chain, hoping it would break. She knew it wouldn't though, she knew that Pan wanted her trapped. Looking around once again, she found that there were no windows or doors to the tent.

Cautiously, her hand went up to examine her throat. She found an indent of a scar from where the blade and cut through the skin. She stared at the ground for a good few minutes – and she could only think about the after-life that she had been to.

It had been so nice.

"What a day to be alive," Pan announced dryly, teleporting himself in the middle of the room. As soon as he had appeared, Tiger quickly scooted to the wall of the tent, to the farthest space that the chain would allow her to move.

"You know, watching the life drain from your eyes proved to me how much I need you around," he continued, walking over to the girl, who had now made herself trapped. "Because as soon as you died, I felt the sand continue to fall…twice as fast, actually," he mused, standing before the shaking girl.

With that speech, Tiger knew that she had actually died. She had met with her mother and father, and Pan had dragged her back to this hell.

Her own _personal_ _hell_.

"You took me away from them…" She whispered out, afraid to raise her voice at him. She was angry, she was frustrated, but she knew that when Pan had a neutral expression on his face, it spelled out trouble.

Pan bent down, "You took _yourself_ from _me_!" He hissed out, "I don't like it when _my_ _things_ are _taken_ _away_ ," he warned in a dark tone, locking eyes with Tiger. She flinched at his tone and could only stare at him with wide eyes. He liked the fear, but he knew he wouldn't get his point across to the thick headed girl.

"I don't like those clothes," he stated, snapping his fingers.

Within seconds, the girl's attire turned into one that was similar to the Lost Ones. Her independence from the group was gone. She was once again a Lost One, she once again was marked and belonged to Pan.

"Pan, p-please don't do this," she pleaded, not looking him in the eyes. The shaking wouldn't stop, and he stared at her as if she was a horribly untrained animal.

"I can do what I want to my property," Pan commented, "I'm through with letting you do what you want, and if I have to bring you back from the afterlife…I will," he said, standing up. He snapped his fingers and a door formed in the middle of the tent. He gave her one last look before he looked away, a triumphant smirk placed on his face. As he walked out, he heard the scared breathing of the girl behind him.

"Pan…" She trailed out, her long hair was soon put up into her high pony-tail, and at that last transformation, she felt her heart break. She started to cry, knowing that she had lost. She would always lose against him, and there was no way for her to win.

"Pan!" Tiger cried out, this time in rage that was steadily building up. How much she hated feeling weak and just being used as an object. An object to keep him alive, and she was getting tired of getting used and abused like this.

Grabbing the chain that was attached to her, she kept pulling at it, but it wouldn't budge. She tried multiple times to break it, and she even attempted to use magic on the chain only for it to absorb any magic she threw at it. She once again pulled and pulled until tears started to leak from her eyes.

It must have been hours that had passed that she found herself staring at where Pan had left. Where the door had once been but had disappeared when he had left through it. She was trapped in his tent until he came back to release her.

And she didn't want to think about what was to come.

 **To be continued…**


	16. What Pan wouldn't do

**A/N: Welcome back everybody!**

 **Warning: Talks of rape.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

* * *

Take a look in the mirror  
And what do you see  
Do you see it clearer  
Or are you deceived

~ "Human" Rag'n'Bone Man

* * *

CH. 16 – What Pan wouldn't do.

 **(Past)**

She walked out of the tent in a daze.

Everything felt numb to her and the camp site was a blur of multiple colors. As if not comprehending what had just occurred – she stared vacantly at the road ahead of her. Taking one slow step after the other she headed away from the tents and towards the forest. She didn't know where she was going, just as long as it was _away_ from _him_.

Dirty.

She felt the need to take a bath, to scrub away her sins. Perhaps, not exactly her sins, yet they were burned into her in a manner of speaking. Unconsciously her hand went to touch her shoulder where there were five bruises in the shape of fingers.

Closing her eyes tightly before opening them, she tried not to think about what had just happened. In her mind, it still wasn't real. She wouldn't believe that she had been deflowered by someone as dark as him – as cold hearted as him.

The talk about what would happen, she heard people back in London talk about it. The townspeople would brag about it as though it were the most pleasurable thing in the world. They didn't say how much it _hurt_. How you wouldn't feel the _same_ afterwards. That your _innocence_ has been taken away from you and that you are _forever_ _tainted_ after doing it.

Carefully, she walked out into the forest, a small blanket over her shoulders. The rest of her body was barely covered with just enough to not worry the rest of the boys. A precaution, should the Lost Ones venture out of their tents at this time of night they wouldn't know what had happened to her.

A shudder overcame her, and as soon as she arrived in a clearing deep in the forest, she fell to her knees slowly.

She still hurt.

Her entire body throbbed, and she didn't know what to do. Multiple muscles screamed out in pain, but she wouldn't cry out in pain. The need to remain composed filled her mind, and despite how badly she wanted to cry out the hurt, she clenched her hands into fists.

Thomas was killed just a few months ago, and Andrew a few weeks after that. Hook had left her alone in Neverland, his boat taking off as she sat on a small hill watching the retreat. Anyone else that might have cared about her she pushed away for their own safety.

They all had left her alone.

All alone with Pan and what he had done in merciless vengeance to her.

It was at that moment when the realization finally hit her. It was all real, and there wouldn't be any coming back from it. She wasn't the same person as she was yesterday, and it was all because of Pan. She didn't want it – she didn't want it _at_ _all_.

She broke into sobs, slowly sitting on the ground. She didn't want to think about what had transpired in that tent or how torn up she felt about it. Mentally and physically she was exhausted and she wanted nothing more than to see her mother again. That was impossible, she knew, because even if she took her own life once again, Pan would come hunting her down and might do this _again_ to her.

Her heart skipped a few beats in fear. She never wanted to experience that again. Shaking her head to not think about it any longer, she tried her best to remain strong. To try and not be damaged by what he had done.

It didn't work.

Tears streamed down her face, and she felt rage and sorrow in a mix. Never in her life had she felt so overwhelmed with her emotions. Not to mention her back hurt from where he had gripped her too tightly with his fingers. Everything was sore and all she wanted was to disappear – that way she wouldn't have to deal with this anymore.

What had she done to deserve this treatment?

Hadn't she been a _good_ child?

A _good_ daughter?

She didn't understand why all these misfortunes followed one after another. Death – she thought that witnessing and experiencing death was life changing but she never expected that something like _this_ would be able to top that.

Quiet sobs escaped from her sore throat. She wanted to scream so loudly that it could shatter every mountain on the island. She had been soiled and she would never come back from this. It was horrible – everything in her life was horrible.

"Lily," Pan's voice came from behind her. His icy tone cut through her continuous crying, and she suddenly tensed up at his appearance. She quickly looked behind her and pulled the blanket tighter around her body. She felt the need to cover up so that he couldn't see her body. He had mistreated her body so horrendously that there wouldn't be enough layers of clothes to make her feel safe.

She didn't want anyone else to touch or see her – and that included him.

"Lil," he said, his voice trying to become softer. It didn't matter to Tiger if he tried to appear like a human, and pretended to show actual caring emotions like a human; he was a _monster_. He will _always_ be a monster to her and nothing would be able to change that.

"S-S-St-ay aw-w-w…" She stuttered, trying to crawl away from him. She tried, but her body screamed out in petition. Pain shot up from the lower part of her body and she let out a flinch and a small shudder.

She hurt more in _certain_ _places_.

That, and she felt sick.

Incredibly sick.

Her tears welled up in her eyes, and she could have sworn Pan looked guilty for a fraction of a second. It was gone within the next, so she summed it up to the trick of the moonlight. He would never care about her or feel any sort of remorse. Once a monster always a monster.

"Away," she choked on the word, the trembling was becoming too much.

She tried her absolute hardest to not think about what just happened once again.

She wouldn't.

It was the only thing that wouldn't let her break completely.

He took a step forward, and she cringed at him trying to come closer to her. He narrowed his eyes at how fragile she was being. It wasn't anything big, the women from the Enchanted Forest could take it. Why couldn't she? She was technically a woman. She was of the age to produce children should the male demand it.

"I-I-I…" Tiger replied, slowly standing up to her feet. She turned around to see Pan face to face. The moonlight shined on her face just right to show what she was truly feeling. What would Thomas say to all of this?

A sob escaped her throat.

She had betrayed him.

Her true love.

She took a step backwards, tripping over a rock. She landed on the ground painfully, and her eyes grew wide. Tears started to fall down from her eyes. She still wasn't over the shock of what had just happened, and she doubt that she would ever truly recover from this incident.

Pan had done something irreversible.

"I'll admit I might have been a little…rough," he stated with a sigh and a small tilt of his head. His hand was outstretched towards her to help her up, and she shook her head frantically when he started to approach her.

She didn't want anything that _he_ had to give her.

 _She didn't want him._

"It's something that you'll need to get used to," he lectured.

Her breaths escaped her frantically. She was paralyzed with fear at that fact. She didn't want this to happen again. She would _never_ get used to this.

"No," she mouthed, unable to say her mind. The girl knew that when she tried to kill herself that Pan would get mad…she just never realized that he would become _this_ angered. If he wanted to mark his 'property' then he had, and he definitely got the point across.

"I let my anger get the best of me," Pan whispered, standing in front of Tiger. She knew that he had teleported so that she wouldn't try to run. Her breathing started to become frantic, and she was sure that she was one step away from a panic attack. "It won't happen again," he promised, and the girl could see the lie in his eyes. "I'll be gentler," he promised again, his dark, cold eyes betraying his 'soft' words.

He bent down to pick her up, but she immediately tried to fight him off. Frantically waving her arms so that he couldn't puck her form her spot on the ground. "No! No…!" She yelled, before she let out a hiccup from not being able to breathe. He hugged her almost naked form against his body and listened to her scared and rapid heartbeat. She slapped her hands against his chest weakly, still trying to shake him off. "No," she whispered, her body still trembling.

She wanted to be let go.

She wanted to go _home_.

The wind decided to dance through Neverland at that time.

Pan looked up at the moon that was in full bloom and felt the pirate return back to Neverland. No doubt another one of his jobs had been completed. He turned around, the girl still repeatedly saying 'no' but it was starting to become less loud. Tears were leaking freely from her eyes, and despite her resentment towards him, he found that she needed comfort.

She quickly inhaled some air since she had been crying too much and couldn't breathe. She let him cradle her and she rested her head on his chest. There was silence between the two immortal teenagers, and he stroked some of the loose hair that had found their way to the front of her face. Taking his hand he carefully took the loose strand making her flinch at the sudden touch.

An air of hotness enveloped around him, and he narrowed his eyes as he started to walk. He placed the hair behind Tiger's ear on her trembling head. Once again, she flinched when he had touched her. Looking down at the girl for a brief, few seconds, he then looked ahead on the path they were on and lowered his hand to his side.

Someone new had just entered Neverland…

Pan held in his annoyance – there was more than one person. As if he didn't have enough on his plate with making Tiger obedient, now he had to entertain guests.

* * *

 **(Present)**

"Take care of her," Tiger said with no emotion as she placed Water Lily on Tink's small cot that was laying across the room. She didn't want to leave her tribal sister with a group of strangers that Water didn't know, but she didn't have a choice.

Somehow Pan had her heart, and she would get it back from him. Even if that meant killing him in the process. She was sure that she would be able to do it – anger was the only thing that was fueling her at the moment.

She would kill him.

The ex-fairy looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "And what exactly are ya going to do with that anger, Tig?" She asked in interest, her elbows resting on her makeshift kitchen countertop. The rest of the group was watching her with an atmosphere of curiosity.

Tiger turned to the group and got out a sword before she twisted the handle in a quick, fluid motion. "I'm going to kill him," she stated, the anger never reaching her words. It didn't need to, they could feel her killing intent from her facial expression.

"That's reckless!" Fin yelled, and Hook stood up from his seat in agreement.

"He'll destroy you!" Hook added in with a determined glare across his face. The pirate knew first hand what the horrible teen boy could do just for the sake of doing it. This time…this time he would be here for her. He had to be, he had to make it up to her. The one that he abandoned without a second thought all those years ago.

Tiger stared at each of their faces. Their pitiful act of persuading her to back down hadn't even deterred her from her mission. "I don't care," she simply said before twisting the handle again and launching it in a slot that was on her utility belt with more force than necessary.

Today would be the day that he had pushed her too far and she would exact vengeance on him.

Emma let out a concerned expression, "This is what he _wants_ you to do!"

"He _tried_ to kill Water," Tiger responded back with a glare, "I'm going to kill him," she repeated with absolute confidence. She pushed past the blonde headed woman that tried to stand in her way. Emma pursed her lips in defeat and stood stiffly when the teenager purposefully banged her shoulder into the woman's.

"Sorry to do this to ya, Tiger," Tink spoke out, causing Tiger to look back in curiosity. She was met with a hand full of sleeping dust that was instantly blown in her face.

The teenager swatted off the dust from her face and tried to not breathe in. It hadn't worked, and in seconds she was feeling weak in the knees. Fin quickly ran to catch her with Hook by his side. The girl let out a growl of raw anger and tried to swing her hand towards the ex-fairy that had done this to her.

It didn't matter if she was considered an 'ally' she was going to be severely injured for betraying her.

The tree house shook madly from the girl's uncontrolled magic, but was soon stopped when the teenager had finally fallen into a forced sleep.

"Intense, isn't she?" Tink rhetorically asked, trying to lighten the mood. The rest of the adults in the group didn't find her amusing. They were almost at a loss for words until Mary Margret voiced her concerns on what they had let Tinkerbell done.

"I hope we did the right thing," Mary Margret whispered out.

"I know we did," David encouraged, making the woman look over at him. "She would have gotten hurt if she went against Pan."

Hook then swallowed nervously, "Shall we get back on our journey?"

Emma nodded, and Regina slowly stood up from her seat. The dark queen watched as the ex-pirate placed the teenager on the same bed as Water Lily. Fin then turned around and looked at Regina with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you sure that's a smart idea? He has her heart…" She trailed, and Fin let out a sigh.

"That's why I'm going to go get it," Fin answered as he made his way over to where the rope ladder was. He was about to descend the ladder when a sudden thought popped into his mind. "Why do _you_ care about my sister so much?"

Regina shrugged, "She reminds me of someone," she answered honestly. Although, she would ever admit that Tiger Lily reminded her of herself when she was younger.

When she was emotionless and hell bent on revenge against Snow White.

* * *

 **(Past)**

Tiger watched the girl known as Wendy travel around Neverland with her brothers in tow. The vacant, emotionless girl watched the naïve, innocent young teenager in front of her with envious eyes.

She still had it.

Hope.

Ambition.

Faith.

Wendy let out a large smile as Pan took her in his arms and started to fly across the main island of Neverland. Tiger looked down at the ground and closed her eyes. This girl could still smile. She couldn't remember the time that she had smiled – that she had shown anything close to happiness of her own volition.

"He's playing with her," Felix stated, sitting down by Tiger. She was perched on the large log that was closest to the camp fire. Her skin had a black tinge to it from the ash that had flown into the air. To the girl, it didn't matter if she had somehow been burned by the fire. It wasn't worth the energy to keep herself clean – she was never going home.

She was only upset that it had taken her this long to realize that.

"He's playing with all of us," Tiger responded back in a monotone, looking up at Felix with a lost gaze in her eyes. "He won't let her go, she's brand new and full of light."

Felix leaned back on the log and let out a slow smirk. "So you're _finally_ understanding him, huh?" He asked, looking up at the sky. Pan had chosen to make it day for Wendy to enjoy and have fun. The clouds that were in the sky were most likely fabricated and fake.

Tiger shook her head, "More or less…" She trailed before looking over at the small band of brothers. Placing her knees up to her chest tightly, she brought her arms around the tops of her knees and hugged her legs to her body. "He's going to keep her brothers, too," she muttered. They would most likely be an addition to the boy pack that Pan keeps around.

The brothers were looking at the Lost Ones playing with battle axes and swords nervously. They didn't like being here, and they wanted to go home. She understood, she was exactly like that when she first came to Neverland as well.

Tiger let out a small sigh, Pan will keep them.

He'll keep _all_ of them.

"Doesn't that meant that he'll focus less on you?" Felix spoke out her inner thoughts. She didn't speak and instead simply looked over at him, telling him to continue. "He has new toys to play with," Felix added with a small shrug.

"Then he should finally throw me away," Tiger muttered out, looking over to the camp fire.

Felix let out a chuckle, standing up as he offered his hand out to the girl, "I wouldn't think so, Lil," he argued, and she took it slowly. "Everyone goes back to their favorite toy eventually."

Tiger let out a shake of her head before a dead small smile appeared on her face, "I know, which is why I should enjoy my time alone while I can."

"That-a-girl," Felix encouraged as he offered her a sword. She took it numbly, not asking what it was for, or why she was being handed it. Felix voiced his intentions after a few seconds. "Let's scare those brothers a little."

Tiger nodded stiffly, notifying Felix that she had heard his idea. She absent-mindedly twirled the handle in her hands a few times.

Pan would be back, along with his undivided attention.

Just how much time _did_ she have left?

Felix began taunting the brothers with a sword, a playful grin on his face. Tiger glanced at the ground with a small frown. It would be better if they stayed on the island forever. If they shared her fate, and would be prisoners of Pan himself.

She wished that their fates were as sealed as hers; that any positive emotion would all be crushed by the demon that had broken all of hers.

Her hand tightened on the handle before she walked over to where Felix had walked to. She eyed the brothers for a few seconds, but didn't join in on Felix's taunting towards them. A few of the Lost Ones had joined Felix, and the youngest of the brothers looked towards her for help.

Her breathing became stuck in her throat.

Instead of helping the brothers from the boy's 'welcoming' teasing, she tossed her sword off to the side and walked back to where her log was. Slowly sitting on it, she raising her knees up to her chest, much like before.

Focusing on the flickering flames of the fire, the girl started to think of a different place and a different time. After a few moments had passed, she dug her head into her knees and looked down.

It would only be a matter of time before the brothers would end up exactly as the Lost Ones. Before Wendy would be broken because Pan had played with her too roughly. Then, Pan would come back to her – his favorite.

She would take this time to herself with a grain of salt, each passing second.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Tiger woke up with her muscles aching. She cursed herself with a growl when she fully opened her eyes to reveal the small treehouse of the ex-fairy. Tinkerbell had blew some sleeping powder at her and forced her to sleep against her will.

The teenager slowly sat up, a dull pain residing in her stomach from inhaling the substance. She carefully placed her arm around the sensitive body part to comfort herself. It was all she could do to not vomit violently against the wooden floor.

There was a creak as the Neverland merciless wind blew against the temporary home. The wooden shutters on the outside of the home banged against the outer walls, and Tiger slowly diverted her gaze over to the window. The ripped, torn clothing serving as curtains were flowing freely in the breeze.

An unknown breath exhaled slowly, and Tiger darted her eyes dangerously to the other presence that was in the room with her. Water was sleeping soundly next to her – completely unware that her heart had been taken captive.

"Water Lily," Tiger softly spoke, gently bringing her hand over to her tribal sister's exposed shoulder. A native tattoo was painted on her skin, and the teenager's hand lingered on top of the artwork.

It stood for courage.

Kongol had a matching set with his fiancée.

The teenager quietly placed her hand on the bed that was mostly composed from wool and leaves. It was her fault that Water's life was being ripped at the seams. Nothing good ever came to others she came into contact with. If only she had been stronger and had forced her way out of Pan's magic that bound her to that tree in the first place.

Instead, all she could do was watch when Kongol's life was taken.

Drifting her eyes over to Water's unconscious body, she once again thought about how hard life was going to be for her. Never had she had to deal with death such as this. In these past few days it was the first time she had ever seen Peter Pan.

Letting out a sigh, she slowly got up from the bed. She felt more refreshed, and a lot more clear headed. It was unfortunate that Kongol had died. It really was unfortunate that Water Lily no longer had her own heart.

Tiger carefully bent down and found a spear made from wood, but with a siren's fang attached to the top. She rose a questionable eyebrow about how Tinkerbell had acquired a siren's fang, but kept it to herself.

Reaching into the dark corners of underneath the bed, her arm became one with the darkness as she tried to reach in the back to where the weapons was residing. Just as her fingers brushed against the bumpy wood, a hand latched onto her upper arm with a tight grip.

"Tinkerbell wouldn't be too happy with you stealing her things," Water's voice sang out, and Tiger glanced up with a grimace when she noticed that Water held a smirk on her face. It was the same exact smirk that Pan liked to show off to people.

"Pan," Tiger seethed out, not having much energy to fight off Water's strong grip. A dangerous twinkle in Water's eyes was the only confirmation that the teenager needed to affirm her suspicions. "Why are you doing this to her?"

Water quickly rolled on her back and had her head dangling off the edge of the bed, "Because you hate it," she stated in a monotone voice as she glanced over to the teenager.

Tiger slowly pulled her arm from under the bed and looked at Water with an unamused face. She wouldn't give Pan any satisfaction that it was getting under her nerves.

It appeared as though the game had been set.

"Where's Henry?" Tiger asked, steering the conversation away from herself.

Water's blinked her eyes in amusement and her smirk turned into a large smile, "You really think that tactic will work?" She asked rhetorically, and Tiger started to unwillingly glare at Water's sudden delight. "He can hear the music now," she added as an afterthought.

Tiger snatched her hand away as she tried to scramble to her feet. She gripped the wall, but couldn't quite get a handle on her depth perception. The drug wasn't fully out of her system yet, and the floor started to appear as if it were moving. Her body slumped against the wall, her shoulder colliding against it harshly.

"When they find him he won't want to leave," Water chided out in glee before she laid on her stomach. Her elbow was resting on the makeshift mattress with her head resting on her hand. "But, as you so elegantly said…he'll only be a trophy to me."

Tiger opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. Her vision started to become blurred, and she slowly fell against the wall that she was leaning on.

"Why is this powder taking such an effect on me?" Water voiced Tiger's thoughts, and the teenager slowly looked over at the woman who was slowly standing up from the bed. Never before had she felt so small. And that was saying a lot. "Well, that's because I might have ordered Tink to add something special to the mix."

The teen wanted to voice something, but her throat started to close up. She wouldn't have the chance to scream at him in rage or anger. Or curse something colorful at him.

Tinkerbell worked for Pan.

How stupid could she be to have trusted her?

Tiger took in small intakes of breath, each one a struggle. There was a sudden loud bang and the front door to the treehouse slammed open. The girl looked up and found Felix there waiting for the two of them.

"I told you that I would take you back to camp, didn't I?" Water taunted, striding past Tiger to address Felix.

The girl looked down at the ground and slowly tried to push herself towards the window. Maybe she could make an escape and reunite with her brother. They could take Pan together, and she didn't want to be separated from him again.

Not after she had gotten _this_ far.

She placed her hands on the wooden floor and tried to implement her plan, but all it did was gather the attention of Felix as it let out a long creak. He grinned devilishly at her at her attempts to once again try and be rid of them.

"Lil, Lil, Lil…" Felix lectured out, and Tiger glowered at the teen boy approaching her as if he were the worst scum on the face of the planet. In less than a second, he hoisted her over his shoulder and started towards the door.

Her ribs started to scream in agony, and her throttling around hadn't deterred the teenager who was holding her from his path. Unable to feel her body, the poison finally taking its toll on her body, she slumped her body, and Felix didn't mind the submission.

"You do know that I'm going to be using this girl as leverage, don't you?" Water asked in a dark tone, and Tiger slowly raised her head to see her tribal sister threaten herself. "I think this will keep the game interesting, don't you?" She snickered as she cupped Tiger's chin with her thumb and index finger.

Tiger tried to let out a growl, but her vision was once again going in and out. She tried to place her hands on Felix's back to try and push herself out of his hold. Water had let go of her face and instead watched her in amusement.

Nothing Tiger Lily tried to do was effective.

And she was tired.

Tiger slowly looked up at Water before lowering her head in defeat. She was done trying to fight. Why did she bother to do it anymore?

After many centuries of trying to fight against him, there was no way that she could.

Water let out a victorious smirk at the teenager in front of her.

He was winning the war that had taken the course of many a century to unfold.

Who knew that all he had to do was take someone she loved hostage?

* * *

 **(Past)**

Tiger sat down on the beach.

It was a fitful evening, Wendy had finally realized just how cruel and horrible Neverland was and begged to be returned home. She was sobbing and crying, it was an emotional sight, and one that the teenager didn't want to see unfold.

It was as if she was watching herself – as Lilith – argue to Pan about how she wanted to be returned home with her brother. It was awful, and it brought nothing but a sharp pain in her chest. Her heart started to ache when she thought about her past life.

Andrew.

Thomas.

Her father, her step mother, and step sister.

Her mother.

All of them had been ripped from her. And because of what went down in the afterlife with her mother and Pan knowing each other – she was beginning to think that her fate wasn't her own. Maybe she was always _supposed_ to be here.

And this made her life even more insignificant.

The waves crashed into a sharp rock, making Tiger slowly look up at the horizon. She hadn't been here since Andrew died. It was when she was feeling hopeless, and she wanted to go back to London. Each time the ocean was there, offering freedom and salvation.

But it was a _lie_.

The only way off of Neverland was the permission of Peter Pan himself. Yet, she knew that she had the same powers as him, but she didn't know how to control them – not really.

When she arrived in London, it was completely by mistake.

Day after day since she got back into Neverland, she would always try and focus her power to take her back to her home town. Each time she would think of a workable future – she would be a painter, or work in customer service in a clothing store.

But nothing would happen.

Not a spur of magic from within her, or a sudden feeling of hope.

And she had a creeping suspicion that Pan had done something to prevent her from ever going back. Whether it be London, or some other land. The Enchanted Forest she always wished she could visit again, and she would think of Prince Leopold every few years.

"Want some company?" Pan asked from behind her.

Tiger was silent as she ducked her head down and rose her knees up to her chest, "Not really," she answered truthfully. But he didn't care about what she wanted and sat down next to her with one of his legs propped up. His arms were behind him holding his body straight.

"She's getting boring," Pan complained with a straight tone. "All she does is complain and whine."

Tiger waited a few seconds before she raised her head and stared out towards the ocean, "What are you going to do about it?"

"I could use her as leverage for her brothers…" He trailed and then shrugged, not finding the topic interesting anymore. "What do you think?"

"Why do you care what I think, Peter?" Tiger complained, looking over at the teenager who looked down at her in response. "You never care what I think," she answered truthfully.

Pan stood up straight and crossed his legs, holding his feet together, "That's not true," he stated, looking out into the ocean with a smirk. "I want what's best for you, and if you can't see that, then of course you would think that way."

Tiger let out a shake of her head in mild annoyment, "You just want what's best for yourself."

"Don't say that," Pan hissed out, and Tiger glanced over at him with a sigh.

"Fine," she submissively said, knowing that it wasn't worth arguing with Pan over anything anymore. "You want to know what I think?" She drawled out, drawing him in as she saw him raise an eyebrow over at her. "I think you should let her and her brothers go."

Pan let out a chuckle, "She came from London…" He trailed, looking over at her. He was looking for some kind of emotion to flash over her. He wasn't disappointed when he saw anger and resentment in those precious eyes of hers.

Tiger shrugged and looked away – pretending not to care.

But she did.

Even more so, she wanted the teen girl to suffer in every way that she ever did. But she wouldn't say that out loud to him. She wasn't that cynical to admit it verbally, despite everything that she went through.

"I know what you really want me to do, and I will," Pan stated with a grin as he stood up. "We're connected, Lil, I didn't need to ask you because I already knew."

Tiger heard the retreating footsteps of Pan before she found herself saying what was weighing heavily on her mind ever since they came back from the afterlife. And since Pan had finally spoken to her since two weeks, now was her chance.

"How did you know my mother, Peter?" Tiger asked in a quiet voice.

Pan's footsteps stopped, and he slowly turned around to face her. Tiger thought that he wasn't going to answer her, and she turned to face him. He was gone, and when she turned towards the ocean again, he was standing directly in front of her.

"She was the first one that I had met when I first arrived on Neverland," he started to tell, and Tiger looked up at him. He watched how her void, dead eyes landed on his. She was holding onto his words, because that's all she had. He let out a small smile before continuing. "She was the daughter of the village chief and was only an impressionable child."

 **To be continued…**


	17. Tale as old as time

**A/N: It's been a while. I'm sure you guys know what the twist is by now. The real and first Tiger Lily was actually her mother. The whole time! Can you believe it?**

 **I included some elements from the movie Pan as well.**

 **Anyway, I'll let you guys carry on with the story!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

CH. 17 – Tale as old as time

 **(Long Ago)**

Our story begins with a small and naïve child who had just turned seven years old. She was adorned in traditional Native American clothing and had ventured fearlessly off on the main island of Neverland. She was familiar with the territory, but not so much the main inhabitant of the island. Not many had ventured out past the small islands on which their tribes were located.

They was because they had no need to – Neverland was a big place, but all the required resources were already on the island. Elders of the tribe had tales from which they had journeyed to the main island. Each story told of strange beasts titled as Neverbeasts; a horrendous animal being that tested strength and mind.

This made Tiger Lily _curious_.

Legend has it that curiosity killed the cat.

Still, she was no amateur when it came to combat.

If a Neverbeast showed up – then she would survive the fight to the best of her ability.

Placing her hands in front of her to push away the overgrown jungle ferns in her path, she noticed a teenager in front of her. It was strange, rumor had it that no one existed on the main island of Neverland. Yet, here he was, and he had this strange aura surrounding him, she could tell. Although she didn't recognize _quite_ what the aura was.

The girl took cautious steps to emerge from the dense forest.

Could _he_ be one of the notorious 'Neverbeasts'?

He was dressed strangely – as far as she had seen – and he was perched on a log carelessly. The teenager appeared to be in thought, his eyes had a vacant look.

This teenager definitely wasn't a Neverbeast, but if he wasn't one of those, what _was_ he? There were only the tribes people on Neverland along with all the various types of Neverland monsters. It was impossible for a normal human to be able to survive on a merciless island such as this.

"Who are you?" Tiger Lily asked as she slowly approached the teenager. He had blonde hair and was dressed in greed clothing. It was strange, her entire tribe and neighboring tribes didn't dress in the color. It represented greed and envy in some tribal villages.

"I'm surprised you know English, savage…" Pan trailed when he slowly turned around with a demeaning smirk placed on his face. She stared at him for a few seconds and then placed a hand on her hip lazily. The girl had heard far more vile words from one of her uncles.

Then again, Black Beard wasn't one to say nice things to people.

Tiger Lily let out a snicker at his comment directed towards her. "Is that supposed to be an _insult_?" She asked with a grin as she slowly shook her head. "I happen to like insults; I like to see the other person wither."

Pan raised eyebrow challengingly at the girl. The large amount of sass coming from the girl was enough to make him let out a small smile. This tribal child hadn't the faintest clue the extent of his powers, or just how dangerous he was. "Wither? Like a plant?"

"Well, I'd say you're already half way there," Tiger Lily snidely let out as she crossed her arms, the dangling fabric on her arms danced about wildly from the motion. "You're wearing green, _and_ you're stiffly standing – like a vegetable. But, I _do_ think it would be _too_ bold to call you a tree."

Pan slowly nodded his head at how she drew that conclusion. He then turned around fully to address the girl. She had long black hair, although it was braided about randomly on her head. Back in the Enchanted Forest, the women and children dressed far differently than her.

"You like playing games?" He asked, drawing in her attention. The teen watched how the child tried to mask her faint beginning of a smirk. She cleared her throat and placed her hands at her sides and pretended to be uninterested.

Tiger Lily let out a scoff. She was the well-known notorious trickster in her tribe. Of course, her being the daughter of the tribal chief definitely helped in lightening up the punishments due to her harmless pranks. "I don't _like_ them. I _love_ them – it's a way of life, you vegetable."

"It's Peter, actually. Peter Pan," he introduced with a small mock bow.

A game was introduced without the both of them having to say it – the name game. Tiger Lily held in her smile and decided to play along with it. She wouldn't lose such a simple game such as the name game. The rules were simple: the other player needed to find out your name.

"I don't care what your name is, otherwise I would have asked it," Tiger Lily responded with a roll of her eyes. "But thanks for the free information, Peter _Pickle_."

Pan let out a dry chuckle. "You're fun, Tiger Lily."

Tiger Lily shrugged her shoulders. He knew what her name was without her giving it to him. The aura radiating from him could be vaguely identified: he was dangerous. He had power even though she couldn't detect any power in him. "So, you won our small game," she hissed out, not liking to lose. She glanced up at the sky and her eyes widened. "I have to get back."

If she hadn't encountered a Neverbeast _yet_ , it was bound to happen when night fell.

"Why not stay? It's only noon," Pan said as he waved his hand dramatically up at the sky. Tiger Lily rose her eyebrows, not believing him as she looked over at him.

"You really are a vegetable! Slow and stu-!" She started her long list of insults before she looked up at the sky. She expected the sun to be almost setting, but was perplexed to find that the sun was in the middle of the sky. The setting sun that she had seen out of the corner of her eyes had vanished without a trace.

Tiger Lily held in the small amount of fear that had tried to force its way to the surface. It was strange, but her new friend had some kind of time abilities. Not to mention his shrouded aura that was hidden from her detection made him have an air of mystery.

Still, he liked to play games, much like she did.

Tiger Lily let out a half smirk at his.

He was fun.

* * *

 **(Present)**

"Pan!" Tiger screeched when she woke up. Something felt off, and as soon as she flung the blanket off of her, she realized it was her attire seconds later. Anger had overcome her at seeing the earth colors on her compared to her usual tan and dark red clothing.

She was dressed as a Lost One once again, and she hated the feeling it left on her skin. The material was suffocating her, and she wasn't fully over the poison that Tinkerbell had slipped her. The tent was spinning around her, but she managed to compose herself in her pure, raw rage.

Slowly she sat up and couldn't breathe. She tried to stand up suddenly, but her legs felt like they were numb, and instead she crashed into the cold harsh ground. Her eyes widened as she stared up at the orange opaque coated sky.

She was in the tent; the tent where everything horrible had happened to her.

She didn't want to remember any of it, but the memories returned to her without warning. This tent offered nothing except submission. The flashbacks came back rapidly, and she started to cry under the haze of the past.

Trying to take slow intakes of breath, her throat started to close. Her hands went up to her chest and she tried to pry off the green tunic that seemed as if it were skin tight.

She didn't want to be here.

She had to escape.

But he wouldn't let her.

He wouldn't _let_ her!

"Calm down, Lil," Pan ordered harshly as he teleported directly beside her.

"No-!" Tiger struggled to yell, watching from the corner of her eyes when he bent down beside her with an amused smile. He tried to place a comforting hand on her arm, but she smacked his cold touch away. He let out a dramatic sigh before he shook his head in disbelief.

She wildly looked around the tent. Spotting a small doorway near the front of the tent, she tried to sneak out of it, only for the exit to slowly seal up.

As if it wasn't there at all.

"You're having a panic attack…" He trailed out, and she turned to look at him only for him to be right in her face. Letting out a quick intake of air at his sudden appearance, she stood there for a few seconds not letting his words reach her ears. She then tried to back up, but found that he had latched onto her hand with a cold, stern grip.

It prevented her from moving anywhere the he didn't permit.

"Let…go!" She breathed out, her heart pounding in her chest, but Pan shook his head in response. "I-I _hate_ you!" She struggled to say before in taking a sharp pained breath. "Let me go!" She yelled with all the energy that she could muster up.

He pushed her body towards his, doing the exact opposite of letting go, and she tried to move away from him. The girl was disgusted with being this close to the teenager who had caused so much misery in her life. Harshly, she once again tried to push herself away from him. She quickly found out that she couldn't - she was still far too weak.

He held her in his lap, and she pulled away once again. She wouldn't let Pan have the upper hand in any circumstance. Not to mention, it was a demeaning position, and she wouldn't let herself be subjected to him again.

It was all a ruse.

He would never care for her genuinely.

Not like _Thomas_ could.

"Let go," Tiger growled out into his chest when he wrapped his other arm around her lower back. " _Now_ ," she ordered out, returning back to her old self relatively quickly, but Pan just pushed her body closer to him still.

Just when she could finally breathe normally once again, her air flows were constricted due to him holding her. "Are you going to let me go?" She asked in a dangerously low tone. It was a promise for hurt in his very near future if he did not comply with her demands.

"Have I let you go at any time you demanded it?" He asked sarcastically, and she clenched her teeth in anger, once again trying to pull away from him. Instead of progressing further away, he pushed her closer to him. He was being even more possessive than any of the times he had her in his grasp.

It was starting to unnerve her.

Even more than the time when he did the unthinkable to her.

"Things with Henry aren't going as well as you think they are," Tiger muttered out, hitting the nail on the head. He glared over at the tent wall, although Tiger couldn't see, she could feel his anger because of his fingers clawing into her back.

Pan shrugged, erasing the momentary anger from his face. "It doesn't matter. Henry will be mine."

Tiger stared into the darkness that was Pan's chest. He was still hugging her against him, not showing any motion of loosening his grip. It was all she could do until he freed her from her position. "Why don't you just let him go?" She asked, and he let out a chuckle before he started to stroke her back condescendingly.

"You have me…" She muttered, her anger being hidden since she was still pushed into his chest.

"I want Henry, too." He argued childishly.

"Please just let him go," she muttered, hoping that she could get through to him. After centuries together, surely he would listen to her. "You don't need him anymore," she continued, still trying to get to his dark, dead heart.

"But he's _going_ to be _mine_."

Her heart skipped a beat, he still wouldn't listen to her. It didn't matter how much he tried to pretend that he cared, he was still selfish. He wanted what he wanted, and he didn't care what anyone else thought about that.

Pan slowly pulled her away, and she refused to meet his eyes. She was still nothing more than just a tool for letting him live – she wouldn't sway his decision on Henry no matter much she wasted her breath. Her words fell on deaf ears – ears that were too filled with darkness to even listen to innocent pleads.

He let out a half-frown at her uneasiness, and he placed a hand under her chin. For a moment she was lost in her thoughts, and couldn't swat away his hand from her head. She looked up at him with a glare. "Don't be like that, you're already mine."

Tiger narrowed her eyes as she stared at his face intently. He was gloating, he was boasting that he had won. And maybe for a small moment he would have truly of had her. She wouldn't fight anymore and stay by his side no matter how much she didn't want to.

He had eradicated her true love in front of her, killed her brother, and many of her tribal people. But she would have completely have given up if he had let Henry and his family go.

But he didn't.

And the fire that was burning inside of her had returned in full. She would get him back to his parents, and then after that…

Well, she suppose she would show David a few things around Neverland. Since there was no doubt in her mind that Hook had let him to the water at Deadman's Peake. David was about as bound to Neverland as she was, and she didn't mind him too much.

She could protect him in his family's absence.

Of course, there was the small matter about ending off Tinkerbell for her betrayal and getting back Water Lily her heart.

No, she wasn't done here. And shame on her for thinking that she was ready to give up and give in to _Pan_ of all people. After all that he had done, how could she have been so ready to overlook all the pain and suffering that he had inflicted?

"I'm not yours _yet_ , Pan," she seethed out before she knocked him back with a full force kick with both of her legs. It hit him square in the stomach and he was sent flying into the walls of the tent. She rolled backwards and grabbed the tent walls in both of her hands and ripped apart viciously.

She heard him running behind her, and she ducked just as he went to grab her shoulders. He tripped over her body, did a small flip, and fell flat on his back as he hit the ground. "I'm not yours yet, Pan," she repeated as he stared up at her, still recovering from the fall.

"And maybe I would have given up if you had let him go," she spat out before she looked around and noticed a torrent of Lost Boys charging towards her. She outstretched her hand and closed each individual finger slowly. In a second, her fencing sword from many decades ago appeared in her hand.

Blue eyes were watching her from the darkness of the forest.

She locked her green eyes with their blue. If it was who she thought it was, then her brother was doing the one thing that she couldn't at the moment. He was going to get Water Lily and hopefully her heart in the process. Looking away and pushing it from her mind, she knew she needed to stall Pan for as long as possible.

That was going to be hard to manage, not to mention improvise.

Still, there was never a challenge she couldn't handle.

"But you had to be _greedy_ , and now you're going to get _burned_ ," she promised darkly as she stepped over him. He tried to grab her ankle, but he was too slow and instead grabbed air. Letting out a growl, he quickly stood up and outstretched his hand just in time to prevent her from slashing the throat of a Lost Boy who had gotten too close to the enemy.

She was frozen where she stood with Pan's hand clenched around her wrist tightly. Pan then brought his free arm over to his side where she had kicked him. "I'm getting fed up with your cunning acts, Tiger Lily," he stated in a straight tone.

Tiger turned towards him the best she could in the frozen position she was in. "There was nothing cunning about that, Pan…" She muttered out, glaring at him as she tried to swing at the closest thing she could hit. She was prevented when Pan pulled his hand back just as a Lost Boy charged and almost got decapitated in the process. "I would have given up. I would have truly have been yours."

"I have implemented getting Henry for centuries!" Pan said with a smirk as he walked over to where she was still frozen. "So pardon me if I don't give up on my long term _plans_ just because _you_ tell me to."

"Fine," Tiger added with a shrug. "But you know what I'm going to say, don't you?" She asked and Pan slowly released his hold on her. "Peter Pan will fail with his plan."

Pan let out a long sigh, trying to compose his emotions. Right now, Tiger Lily was becoming increasingly hard to handle. It must have been those adults that she was hanging around with. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind when Henry is standing _next_ to me in battle, rather than _against_."

Tiger let out a disbelieving chuckle, "Sure, if you want to believe that," she taunted, and Pan let out a frown. He had let go of her and she wasn't trying to run away. Instead, she was standing there and bantering with him.

His eyes went wide when he realized that it was a distraction.

Looking around one of his camps, he tried to find something out of the ordinary. He was almost dumbstruck until he realized that a certain someone that he was using as leverage wasn't in her cage.

He looked back at Tiger Lily accusingly.

She knew exactly what was running through his head.

"Couldn't have been me, Pan," she hissed out, her stone-cold personal coming back to her. She raised her sword to him, almost demanding a challenge. He observed her stance and found how murderous her pose was, and unfortunately it was directed at him for the most part.

If she swung, she would aim for a long swing. Which meant that a few of his Lost Boys would also be hit by the sword. And if it was Tiger Lily, then she would aim for the vital point – the throat.

Instead, he needed to get the upper hand.

"You're being mighty possessive of the savage, aren't you?" Pan mockingly asked with a raised eyebrow. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't you say that's one of _my_ traits?"

Tiger faltered a small amount, and that was all the time the Lost Boys needed to pounce on her. She managed to swipe one of them, and the second landed on her sword all by himself. She hit the ground hard, and Pan was looking down at her with his hands on his waist.

"I want you, you want the savages…" He trailed, and then he chuckled, "It always goes full circle with those nuisances. It's where the trouble started, and…" He muttered, looking at Tiger Lily with full vengeance in his eyes. "It's where it will end."

Tiger's heart began to sink in her chest.

"Pan, don't!" She ordered darkly, trying to pry herself off from under the massive heap of boys. She didn't realize that Pan was getting out his pipes until he was right in front of her with them raised to his lips.

She opened her mouth to say something vulgar, but was quickly silenced when Pan played a screeching long note to make her submissive and confused. She closed her eyes tightly and let out a pained yell. He wouldn't stop looking right at her when he started to play a song and then he pulled the instrument away, letting the magic of the Pied Piper take control over his possessions.

The Lost Boys all started to dance, unable to control themselves.

Tiger looked around in confusion and then up at Pan, waiting for her to be told what to do. Her vacant eyes looked straight up into his.

Pan couldn't stop the smirk that was slowly spread across his face.

"Lead me to where they are," Pan ordered, and Tiger took her time standing up and started to walk slowly into the forest.

Pan was right behind her, and he played a constant song to keep her hypnotized.

He would end it tonight.

* * *

 **(Long Ago)**

" **Father** ," Tiger Lily spoke in her native tongue, and the members of her tribe lifted their head up to see the princess. " **I have a friend that I want to introduce** ," she stated, walking in front of her tribe disrespectfully. Some of their members scoffed at her unruliness. Her father sat at the throne on the highest peak of the hill and watched his daughter with uneasiness.

"Peter Pan," Silver Beard said in English, surprising everyone in the village. Not once had they heard their chief utter a single word of another language. "I have known about this one since the day you met him."

Tiger kneeled in front of her father, the now ten year old not wanting to show respect to her father. He was the chief, so she had to. But as a father, she couldn't care less about him.

She hadn't known that her father had known about Peter. It was shocking to her, she had never spoken about the immortal teenager.

However, she assumed that he had picked up on her scent. Peter had a smell of smoke and trees, whereas the scent of smoke didn't rub off on the tribe members. It wasn't hard to know when someone of the tribe had gone to a place they weren't supposed to.

" **The answer is no** ," Silver Beard hissed out, standing from his seat in authoritative rage.

" **That's not fair**!" Tiger pounced on his words, standing her ground. She jumped to her feet and glared at her father. There was an ear piercing silence from the rest of the villagers. After a few moments, she spoke. "You don't know him."

Silver Beard began his descent down the steps, " **I know enough, Tiger Lily**."

There was a cannon blast in the distance, and Silver Beard looked over the mountain top to where the ocean was. " **Black Beard** …" He muttered, looking down towards the ground in thought. "That foolish brother of mine."

"Peter can help," Tiger Lily tried to persuade, "It will be like a game, who can stop him the fastest-!" She began to explain, but was stopped when a spear almost collided with her shoulder. She looked up with confusion and a small amount of anger.

Her father had thrown his spear at her to silence her.

" **Black Beard is not a game**!" He lectured with disappointment permanently in his tone. " **You are not to see that wicked boy any longer**!"

" **You can't stop me** ," Tiger Lily challenged, never backing down from a fight when it presented itself in front of her. "Not from taking Black Beard, or from seeing Peter…" She muttered before she turned around and ran into the forest.

The chants and wails of the natives were directly behind her, ordered by her father to return her back to camp and keep her there. She would never willingly retreat and accept defeat unlike her father. He was a weak bastard, and a coward.

She would prove him wrong.

* * *

 **(Long Ago)**

A fourteen year old Tiger Lily was perched on a large rock and looking into the water. She would get off of Neverland and vanish to another realm. One without magic to hurt her anymore. All she needed was a damn mermaid, and they were becoming increasingly rare to find in the shallow waters.

That's why she was out in the open ocean, on whatever rock she could find.

She was an expert swimmer and could handle the harsh currents that the ocean procured.

"Come on, you rotten tailed serpent…" She cursed under her breath.

There was a disturbance in the area surrounding her, and the spear that she was holding brushed barely above the teenager that had made himself known. "Pan," she hissed out, jutting the spear towards his head, all the while releasing a compartment on the weapon to release more blades.

She had hoped to snag him clothing, or better – slash open his skin to make him bleed.

She succeeded in hitting air, and when she looked up he was floating above the water with his arms crossed. She cracked her head to the side in annoyance before she aimed the spear back to the ocean that was beneath her.

"Should the village chief really be out here?" Pan asked out loud, a dark smirk on his lips.

"Don't speak to me," Tiger hissed out, trying her hardest not to pounce on the teenager and drag him under the water. There was many different kind of creatures that didn't care that a 'king' was in Neverland.

Food was food, no matter _what_ title they had.

"Still sour about White Beard?"

" **Silver Beard**!" Tiger Lily yelled with a glare as she looked up at the teenager. He tilted his head in curiosity when she spoke in her native language. It had slipped, and she let out a long exhale before she looked back down at the water.

Pan floated next to her and looked down at the water with her. "From what you told me, you hated your father. A thing we had in common – I hated my father as well."

Tiger tightened her grip on the spear, "That did not mean I wanted him dead," she spoke in a deathly leveled tone that Pan raised his eyebrows in surprise. Out of respect towards his friend, he decided to steer the conversation away from the topic of her father.

"Mermaid hunting?" He asked, changing the subject.

Tiger tried to control her anger, he didn't care about anything except his own motives. That's why he teamed up with Black Beard and killed her father. Her uncle and her 'friend' wiped the rest of her clan but decided to let her live.

She tried to ignore him.

It was four years ago, but it was still fresh on her mind.

And it wasn't as if she could go to White Beard's tribe, Pan would find that through her. No, for now she was on her own. Even when she had surviving family in another tribe, she would need to be alone. And with Pan as her only company, she needed to get off of this dreaded island.

"The only way anyone can leave Neverland is with my permission."

"…Let's play a game," Tiger perked up with a sudden thought, and Pan looked over at her before landing on the rock that she was perched on.

Pan looked at her face, and it was devoid of any emotion – he had no idea what she was thinking. "What's the game?" He asked, intrigued by the girl in front of him.

Tiger let out a smirk, "The game is to try and prevent me from leaving Neverland."

"I'm already doing that," he said slowly, not comprehending what she was talking about.

"Are you?" She taunted before she breathed in and slipped into the water.

Pan's eyes went wide and he wasted no time diving in after her. She was the only company he had on this island, and he wouldn't let her leave. Not when she was his, and his alone.

In the darkness of the ocean current, something sparkled from the sun's surface. Pan followed the trail of light and found that it belonged to the girl's spear. It was heading towards him at a relatively fast rate despite them being in water. He barely had time to dodge before he looked back to where the girl was.

Tiger Lily was sinking deeper into the ocean, and she pulled out a knife when a den-monster appeared in front of her. It was hungry, and she was food. It charged, opening its mouth to reveal a set of nasty, sharp teeth stained in blood.

It made a groan when she slashed it before looking above her and seeing Pan swimming after her. His magic didn't work when they were under water. He didn't know how Tiger knew that considering he had never swam in the ocean with her. Pan figured it was a lucky guess – one that just so happened to be true.

She smirked, slashing the vital organ located inside of the den-monster, and it started to float up to the surface, directly in the path of Peter Pan himself. The teenager's eyes went wide, and he quickly swam out of the projected path of the monster.

He looked back down and found Tiger Lily cutting her arm open with her knife.

A trail of blood appeared, and more den-monsters started to make themselves known.

They all let out a growl and charged towards the young teenager. She tightened her hold on her single knife before she started to float up to the surface by placing her arms out to the sides of her. Pan watched her sail upwards with a smirk of amusement. She then darted off towards the right.

The teenager still had no clue what she was doing, and for the first time, she had stumped him. He looked down and was immediately face to face with the den-monsters. One had tentacles and wrapped its slimy arm around his leg.

It started to pull him down, and Tiger watched him sink. Her head suddenly broke the surface of the water. She took in as much air as her lungs would let her before she perched on the rock again. Peter Pan might rule over Neverland, but he knew next to nothing about all the species that inhabit it.

When you bleed in water, you attract den-monsters.

But den-monsters attract mermaids.

It was simple math, really.

Tiger heard silence for a few seconds before Pan breached the surface of the water and let out an unsatisfied frown. He was covered in blood, Tiger wasn't sure if it was his, or if it was the enemies. She hoped it was a mixture of both, otherwise her plan might not work.

"Whatever you were trying to do, it failed," Pan stated, not happy that he wasted energy playing a game that he had won easily.

"I wouldn't say that. Let's make it a puzzle – something to solve," she said with a shrug. It lured him in, and he floated into the air and drew himself closer. She stood up and placed her hands on her waist with a grin. "1 + a + b = 1y," she said, and he furrowed his eyebrows.

He stayed silent for a few seconds, "Math?"

Tiger gave him a smirk, "What, too tough of an equation for you?" She taunted with a shrug, "Doesn't matter, I knew you couldn't handle strategy – far too dumb for it."

"I'm glad to have you back, Tiger," Pan said with a smirk of his own, accepting the insult as if it were words of endearment. To the teenage boy, it mostly was. It was how he knew that everything was back to normal.

The girl stayed silent for a while as her smirk fell.

He wanted to pretend as if nothing had happened – was it to protect himself?

"Then let me know how it feels when the only friend you've ever had leaves you, Pan," she hissed out, not able to let go of the past. She was too much of a warrior to simply forgive his transgressions against her – against her family.

Her _people_.

And as she fell backwards, a crowd of mermaids jumped up from the water. Pan watched as Tiger grabbed held of one of their tails before disappearing into the water.

Suddenly he stood up and waited for her to resurface.

After a few long seconds…She didn't.

She had beaten him.

But he never lost.

And now he lost not only the game they were playing, but his one friend, too.

Pan let out a growl before tightening his hands. The blue sky suddenly turned black due to his rage and the sun was quickly replaced by gleaming stars.

He would get her back – _in one form or another_.

There will _always_ be a Tiger Lily in Neverland.

 **To be continued…**


	18. Newly found Not lost

**A/N: Heyyy, long time no update sort of. Sorry about that, but it's internship season and I've been busy with that stuff.**

 **Also, any questions that you might have had last chapter should be answered in this one.**

 **Thanks for all the favorites, follows, and reviews! You guys are the best!**

 **Song dedication goes out to my dude Chester, who probably helped me through a strange, depression stage of my life in 9** **th** **grade. Keep rocking on in the afterlife, my man.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

I want to heal,  
I want to feel,  
Like I'm close to something real  
I want to find something I've wanted all along  
Somewhere I belong

~ "Somewhere I Belong" Linkin Park

* * *

Ch. 18 – Newly found. Not lost.

 **(Past)**

"I'm sorry…" Tiger said emotionlessly as she stood in the battlefield where her mother's people had died. They had all died at the hands of her great uncle, Black Beard. Not to mention that Pan has also helped her great uncle kill them. Multiple graves were dug, but they were unmarked. The best her mother had to work with were sticks and pieces of cloth.

"Silver Beard was my grandfather… _Another_ person that Pan took from me," she hissed out, placing a wild flower on each of the graves she came across. Once she had put a flower on the mounds of dirt, she would stand over each of the graves with a distant longing on her face.

A grandfather – a family member on her mother's side – was dead, and she would never be able to meet him. She would never be able to hear him tell his life story to her – how her mother was when she was a child. Stories of her grandmother, of Neverland, of the natives…

All the stories lost to time.

An important part of her life that she would never know.

Felix cleared his throat, bringing the girl out of her thoughts. She glanced behind her and chose to let out an empty sigh. "You don't have to stay."

"Pan ordered me to keep watch over you," Felix muttered back. "I _have_ to stay."

She was quiet for a few seconds, and she knew that Felix argued with unattached words. He claimed he wanted to stay by her side because Pan had ordered him to do so. Tiger had no doubt that was a part of the reason, but she also figured that there was another, more passionate reason why he remained at her side.

Felix was, more or less, an adult. He was the same age as Pan and had the same overwhelming desires for lust at that age. A few days ago he had kissed her and had almost been caught by one of the Lost Ones.

Putting Pan first before his own desires. He wanted her, but Pan had claimed her. It was a conflict of interests. And she was too dead on the inside to even care about anything anymore. If Felix wanted to kiss her, then she would allow it. She didn't give an ounce of consideration for Pan, or for Felix. Why should she have when she was trapped here for an eternity?

"I'm done," Tiger stated, standing up from the grave that she was paying her respects to. Felix let out a grunt of understanding before he rose his arm perpendicular to the ground and did a small wave, letting her know to go first. She glanced at him but chose to not utter a word.

They traveled through the forest, and Felix cleared his throat again.

"What do you want me to say, Felix?" Tiger asked in a tired tone. "I found out that everyone on my mother's side is dead, except for my homicidal great uncle, and everyone on my father's side is probably dead too."

"I had something stuck in my throat…" Felix muttered out truthfully before taking lead when the girl stopped in front of him. The camp was directly in front of them, and Tiger took his hand and held him back from entering.

Felix looked back at her. "I'm sorry. I was disrespectful of the dead," he stated, and Tiger sighed and let go of his hand. "That's not what you wanted me to say?" He asked, confused as to why they hadn't entered the camp.

Tiger looked down at the ground. "I didn't want to go back yet."

Not when Pan only saw her as his object and possession. The small opportunity she had at freedom was enough for her to go mad with insanity. Constantly under Pan's watchful eye, within an arms-length of him, was absolutely dreadful for her.

"London girl and her brothers have been returned…I thought that you would be happy about that. _Lilith_ would have been ecstatic for anyone to leave," Felix said, staring into her eyes.

" _Lilith_ had a stupid hero outlook…" She trailed, pulling him closer when she grabbed his other hand. He didn't object to being closer to the girl, but she refrained from doing anything to him. Her emotionless eyes seemed to draw him in closer.

If she could spend time with someone who wouldn't look down on her, or belittle her with taunts and mocking, then she would 'happily' choose Felix over Pan.

Felix was silent for a few seconds. His eyes lingering on her face in a nervous state of want and desire. "We can't do this here. Not with Pan being so close," he argued, and Tiger looked into the camp. She let go of him, the feeling of being alone with Felix was gone at the mere mention of her teenage tormentor.

Tiger walked a few steps but stopped when Felix's hand touched her shoulder gently. "Was it…something I said?"

"It's everything you say, Felix…" Tiger trailed and looked at him with her vacant, lifeless gaze. "Our relationship is going to be a hassle for you. Pan comes first all the time," she stated as she shrugged before walking again. "It's just the way you are."

Felix watched her enter camp, but he clenched his fists in anger.

Why was it that he was so loyal?

Was it because he was the first Lost Boy?

He let out a defeated sigh and entered the camp. All the children were gathered around the camp fire and there was a new face among the crowd. He glanced over at Tiger to see if she noticed him too. She couldn't pull her gaze away from the new teenager.

"That's Baelfire," Pan introduced, pulling everyone's attention to him. Tiger and Felix listened intently, since they were being spoken to from their leader. "He'll be living here from now on."

"For the girl and her brothers, probably…" Tiger muttered, making Pan look at her curiously. Ever since he told Tiger about her mother, she was beginning to keep most things to herself. She was sneaky and becoming more cunning with each passing second.

Pan walked over to her with a charming smile. "How was the trip?" He asked, trying to connect back with the girl.

Tiger looked at him with a stern gaze. "They're still dead," she informed him bluntly, heading away from the camp fire. The girl didn't spare a second glance at the new face in the crowd. She wasn't interested in the boy who would soon become a loyal follower of Pan. Not when she was surrounded by boys who would put Pan first before themselves.

* * *

 **(present)**

When Tiger came to her senses, she was standing on top of a hill. Slowly blinking, her eyes adjusted to the bright orange light that was coming from below.

It was then that her heart sunk and she couldn't feel her legs.

The native village was on fire.

"No!" She yelled, the family that she had grown attached to were screaming below in agony and pain. They were being burned alive with no sign of reprieve in sight. "No…" She muttered, somehow trying to drag the legs that she couldn't feel in front of her.

She tried to walk – to run, but she couldn't move.

The shock that she had once again lost her family was creeping into her mind. Already, the mental shock had affected her limbs. Her fingers started to tremble in disbelief, her limbs felt as if they weighed ten times their normal weight.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Pan asked, appearing beside her with a smirk. She couldn't look at him, she couldn't pull her eyes away from the havoc that was taking place below her. These were people she loved – people she cared about; the descendants of Silver Beard himself.

And they were being obliterated in front of her.

She snapped her head over to him and let out a hiss, breaking out of her shock far more quickly than a normal human. The girl swung out a fist towards him at an unreadable velocity and immeasurable rage. This is what she tried to _prevent_ over the past twenty years. She was cautious – hiding her footsteps, masking her location whenever possible, all to stop him from finding the natives.

Her biological family.

He caught her fist with ease, holding her hand in his gently. Slowly, he brought down his fingers on her fist and started to caress it gently – as if comforting her. The teenager made it seem as if he were trying to console her after a terrible accident.

Yet, it wasn't an accident, it was a horrible mass homicide that he had caused himself.

"It was bound to happen _sometime_ ," Pan added, as if sensing the raging emotional mess that was the girl. Tears threatened to fall, but Tiger wouldn't let them. She instead tried to take back her hand in a blind fury, realizing that this was all her fault.

If only she had never met the natives in the first place.

They would still be alive.

"You want everyone to be miserable except yourself?" Tiger muttered as she let him hold her hand. It was no use trying to break away from him. If he wanted her like this – then she would be. His hold on her loosened slightly, and his arm lowered with his hand still intertwined in hers. "As long as you're satisfied, who cares about anyone else…?"

Pan's gaze softened as he let out a long exhale. "It's a long history between me and them, Lil."

Tiger snapped her hand out of his, sensing that his hold on her had relaxed, and glared down at the village. "I don't believe you," she said in a strong tone. He narrowed his own eyes at the girl before shaking his head. "You hate because you _can_. You're just a _pitiful_ teenager who puts up a fight whenever something doesn't go _his_ _way_."

"Take that back," Pan seethed out in a threatening tone, pouncing on the girl who dared to speak against him. She landed on her back, landing on her elbows and letting out a flinch of pain. "I am doing this for _you_. You were happier when you only had _me_."

Tiger's arms were out to her sides, and Pan's hands were forcefully holding her wrists down on the harsh ground. Refusing to show any more weakness to Pan, she held in another flinch of pain when his nails dug into her skin. Still, she wouldn't back down, not when she was completely fed up with Pan's acts to break her once again. "You were the only one that was happy when I was miserable. Because I no longer had my brother, or Thomas."

Pan let out a growl before tightening his grip on the girl possessively. This time her face contorted into pain, her eyebrows scrunched together – trying not to let out a cry. "Don't you bring up what's supposed to be in the _past_."

" _Why_?" She asked rhetorically, although it was strained. Not wanting to let Pan know she was in pain, she relaxed her neck and stared unwaveringly into his eyes filled with a hazy insanity. "Because you're scared to face the past?" Tiger taunted, and she watched the confusion, accompanied with regret flash in Pan's eyes before they hardened from what she had said. "Your son, grandson, and great grandson are here to kick your ass."

"Let them try, but I _always_ win."

Tiger let out a roll of her eyes at that cocky, infamous statement of his. She started to speak of the numerous failures that he had. "You might have killed the natives, but you haven't succeeded in making Henry into a Lost Boy. You haven't gotten rid of the adults on the island, and you _still_ don't have me."

" _Yet_ ," Pan added hesitantly, and the girl let out a small fearless chuckle.

"My mother made you lose, and I will do the same."

"Your mother didn't drink the water…" Pan trailed as he stared into her face. A dark smirk started to grow on his face when he saw the girl's face start to pale. "You did."

Tiger pushed him off of her as she sat up, not liking the close contact with her tormentor for centuries. "I don't need a recap, Pan," she stated, watching how he tumbled down the hill a few times before teleporting back up the hill to stand beside her.

Pan crossed his arms triumphantly across his chest. "No need to get hostile, love," he reprimanded gently, mocking her current situation. She wasn't allowed to leave, and she would die on Neverland – if she was even _allowed_ to die.

"I never said that I would destroy you _personally_ ," she stated cryptically, pushing her knees up to her chest. This made him look at her with confusion, telling her to continue. She obliged his demands as she wrapped her arms around her knees. "Maybe your loyal followers won't be so loyal to you. What they crave is a home. You've never been welcoming."

" _That's_ who you're targeting?" Pan asked in disbelief, a chuckle lingering in his voice. "They listen to me."

Tiger let out a scoff at his blatant ignorance. "Not willingly, you have to make them listen to you. You control them with _fear_ …with _death_ hanging over their heads."

Pan shrugged carelessly at that comment. "Where else can they _go_?" He asked rhetorically with a small smirk on his face. Tiger let out a hum, and he darted his eyes to her subtly. It seemed as if she knew something that he didn't. He was about to order her to tell him, but an overbearing darkness suddenly appeared behind him.

"What is it?" Pan asked in annoyance as he looked towards the back of him. His shadow appeared in the darkest part of the forest and made head notions as if it were talking. Tiger observed silently with her head tilted to the left.

"Trouble in paradise?" Tiger asked uncaringly before looking over at the village.

Pan let out a growl, "As if you couldn't hear it," he huffed out as he teleported so he was standing with his shadow. "Henry is fighting a Lost Boy…" He trailed for a few seconds before letting out a grin. "This can work."

Tiger didn't breathe a word and instead clenched her fists tightly. "Aren't you going to drag me back to prison?"

"Should I have a need to?" Pan asked with pride in his tone. It made Tiger disgusted that the only family she had left were charred and dead. There was a small hope that a few of the natives had made it out, but it was quickly smothered when a cold wind flew through the island.

Tiger quickly stood up and almost stumbled from the panic.

Shadow magic.

He was taking out the rest of the natives by ripping off their shadows.

"The only family you have left on this island is us," Pan stated. She turned to look at him with wide, fearful eyes. "We'll be waiting for you," he added before disappearing into the forest alongside his shadow.

Tiger let out a yell of frustration, misery, and agony as a white ring spread out from her. The wave of light traveled across the island, knocking back all of the trees it made contact left. He was right, she didn't have anyone left.

Except for Water Lily.

Slowly taking a step away from the burning village, she stumbled into the forest and quickly grabbed onto a tree to help stand. It was then that she allowed the tears to flow. Feeling weak in the knees, she felt her fingers cut into the bark when she fell to the ground. She had lost everything once again, and it was all her fault.

The sins of her mother were hers to bare.

"Blood will have blood," Tiger stated in a dangerously low tone as she clawed her fingers into the tree that she was holding on to. Blood started to run down her hand from her digging into the bark too hard. The girl hadn't even registered she was bleeding.

Tiger had entered a blind rage.

She would get even with Pan, and if she had to kill the Lost Boys to do it _again_ , she would.

The plan that Hook and Fin had concocted to have the boys turn against Pan was easily pushed to the side. All she saw now was complete and uncontrollable rage. She would have her revenge – and she _would_ have it.

In one way or another.

This war was _far_ from over.

* * *

 **(Past)**

"Tiger Lily, listen to me," Felix pleaded, but the girl ignored him as she chose to sit on the long log that was in front of the fire instead. "It's been a week, you _can't_ ignore me forever."

Tiger pretended to not hear him and instead picked up her specific water cup before inspecting it. She would not drink from the rest of the water source with the boys. It was a tactic that instilled a small amount of hope that she would somehow get home.

The water from Deadman's Peake that would make Neverland her home forever was dangerous to her.

She couldn't have anyone tampering with her water to make her loyal to this cursed island that killed her brother and Thomas.

After deciding it was fine, she took a small sip before lowering it in her hands. She felt somebody watching her and darted her well-trained eyes to the boy. It was the newest recruit that Pan had somehow coerced into staying here.

She had a theory that he was related to Wendy and her brothers.

Upon seeing that he was staring at her, he slowly lowered his eyes submissively.

"You," Tiger ordered as she stood up and started to walk over to the boy that seemed to be two years older than her. Physically, at least, he _was_ older. Mentally, she had a good few decades over him. "Baelfire, isn't it."

"Yeah," Baelfire muttered, still not looking into her eyes.

She frowned at that and threw her water to the side, demanding his attention. It worked, because before he could stop himself, he quickly looked to where the cup had landed.

"I wasn't asking a question," Tiger responded, and the teenager looked at her with an unwavering glance. The girl looked down and found a familiar wooden bowl in his hands and she let out a huff of annoyance. "Are you going to drink that?"

"I don't know. I don't think I should," Baelfire answered, looking up to her for guidance, whatever amount she would give him.

Looking at his face, she felt horrible at being emotionless towards him. He wasn't Pan, and he wasn't Felix. Or, he wasn't a Felix _yet_. Point was, she was being rude for no reason. Maybe he would turn out to be determined to get back home and wouldn't be completely brainwashed to Pan.

"Then you shouldn't," she answered back, smacking the bowl out of the boy's hand. She was looking to frustrate Pan anyways, and she didn't have to wait long before he teleported beside her with a curious look on his face.

"What are you doing, Lil?" Pan asked, looking between Baelfire and Tiger Lily suspiciously.

She turned to him with no emotion on her face. "Undermining your authority," she stated before turning away, her long hair almost smacking him in the face. She didn't bother to turn around, even though she felt his eyes on her, watching her retreat.

Tiger felt a small tug at her lips. Just because she belonged to Pan, didn't mean that she had to like it. Or that she had to put up with his rules. She started liking the small rebellious side that was starting to sprout from inside of her.

Was there really such excitement from disobeying Pan?

Maybe a fire could come back from the ashes.

All it would need was a spark.

* * *

 **(Present)**

"Get your hands off!" Water snapped with a glare.

Fin was glaring right back as he shook out his hands, unable to believe that she wouldn't even give him gratitude towards him risking his neck for a second time. It wasn't easy sneaking into the camp to rescue the woman, but the second time to get her heart was a little trickier.

He might have ended a few lives, but he didn't care.

Water Lily was important to his sister, and he more than enough reason to try and make it up to her.

He hoped that she was okay – then again, that was wishful thinking. If she was still with Pan and hadn't managed to escape, then she would be anything other than okay.

"Where is Tiger?" Water demanded harshly, stomping around the small wooded area angrily. "She not leave me here with you!"

"Maybe if you tried to get to know me, you wouldn't hate my guts," Fin tried to explain, but then decided he was wasting energy and rolled his eyes. "But that would require you to be _nice_."

Water exhaled out of her nose loudly before suddenly sitting Indian style on the ground. She was in a state of discontempt, that much was painfully obvious to Fin. "I no be nice to you. You are worst."

Fin sat on the ground as well before placing his hands under his head and laying with his back on the ground. "And you're welcome for that."

"I hope you die," Water muttered as she too, rested with her back on the ground. She closed her eyes, and tried to envision how things were before these strangers arrived. They had ruined everything – Pan had taken advantage of the chaos and took her tribal sister.

"Already did that once, and it wasn't so pleasant…" He trailed, closing his eyes. He tried to not think about the Underworld and his time there. Apparently his sister was his unfinished business, and he didn't want to end up back in that hell hole. Hades was less than welcoming, and he had a spot open for a pedicure boy.

A shiver went down the man's spine at the mere thought.

"Thank," Water mumbled, paying respect where it was due. Tiger raised her better than that, and she owed that much to the teenage girl who never aged.

"Hmm?" Fin asked, already starting to doze off. He ignored the cuts of knives and spears on his body that miraculously weren't coated with Dreamshade. They got the worse part of the battle, they gave him wounds, and he took their lives.

He didn't care - he wanted his sister back.

"I too," Water mumbled, her too, falling asleep.

Fin opened his eyes slowly and realized he said that last thought out loud. Maybe the woman would realize that he wasn't a monster that she perceived him to be. And he supposed that he could at least start to appreciate her existence…

At least a little.

It would make things a little bit better if they didn't _completely_ hate each other.

* * *

 **(past)**

Baelfire was walking around the camp site when Tiger walked out from Pan's tent with an expressionless face. The teenager saw her and his face lightened up only a small amount. Out of all the crazy teenagers, she seemed to be on his side.

"Hey!" Baelfire yelled out, and Tiger glanced over at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What do you want?" She asked, not in the mood to deal with anyone after Pan had a stern talking to her about the way that she had acted in front of him last night. Crossing her arms, she started to walk away. "If it's not important, then don't bother me."

Baelfire's face darkened before he started to run over to her. She watched him walk beside her, but her mood still hadn't lightened up. Pan's handprints were going to leave a bruise around her wrists from how tight he was holding her down on the bed. She rubbed them unconsciously, but was discreet in her actions to prevent the older teen next to her to start asking questions.

This was a good reason as to why she didn't want to fight against Pan. He was stronger than her, and there was nothing that she could do. She was weak, and she was supposed to fear him and not act out. It was a stupid impulsive action, and he wasn't going to put up with her rebellious acts.

She wondered briefly why she even bothered to put up a fight at all.

"I need to get back home."

"Don't we all…?" Tiger mumbled out, looking over at him. He seemed taken aback at the sudden words that were pouring from her mouth. He furrowed his eyebrows and opened up his mouth to say something else only to be once again cut off from her. "You don't think I haven't tried to get off of this place?"

Baelfire closed his mouth and looked down at the ground. He had no idea how long she was in Neverland – but he was only here for at the most two days. And he needed to get back home no matter how long it took. The Darlings had adopted him, and he wanted to go back to a family that cared about him in every way, unlike his papa, who was only obsessed with power.

Tiger watched how silent he had become and let out a sigh. She ran a hand through her hair, once again she was being rude for no reason. But, it would be better if the teenager stayed away from her. The Lost Ones were practicing sword fighting a little ways away, and Tiger glanced over at them.

Pan was probably still in his tent.

Then where was Felix?

She darted her eyes around camp, but couldn't find the teenager anywhere in sight. Satisfied with being alone to talk to the newest addition of Pan's crazed family, she took his hand in hers before suddenly running off in a random direction.

Baelfire let out a surprised yelp but quickly stiffened it when he placed a hand over his mouth. Tiger looked behind the two of them to see if anyone had followed them. No one was tailing them, but that didn't mean that Pan's shadow wasn't watching from afar somewhere.

"Where are you from, kid?" Tiger asked, darting in another random direction. It was the best way to throw someone from their path. Baelfire's eyes widened at that statement, he was older than her, and here she was treating him as if he had barely grown up at all.

"London," he responded automatically, trying to forget his life back in the Enchanted Forest.

Tiger let out a scoff and then ducked behind a tree. The shrubs and neighboring long grass casted a shadow on them. To anyone flying above, they were as good as camouflaged while in the small space. And to anyone walking by, they would need to stay still and not make a sound.

It was a good place to hide.

Baelfire was pulled into the shrubs as well, and he let out a grunt while landing on the ground. "Liar," she accused, staring into his eyes. He blinked rapidly for a few seconds in disbelief that she hadn't taken his words.

How could she have known that he wasn't from London?

Who _was_ she?

"If you were, then you would have an accent," Tiger announced, looking behind them when she heard a barrage of footsteps. Their time alone together was instantly reduced to none, and she quickly backed into the teen, laying on his chest.

He opened his mouth to ask what she was doing – he hadn't heard anything.

"Utter even a sound, and you're dead," Tiger muttered in a low tone. It was barely above a whisper, and Baelfire had to strain to hear it. He let out a single nod and closed his mouth. So far, she hadn't steered him wrong, and even if she was treating him rough and cold, she was keeping him alive and on the right path.

In a way, he was looking up to the younger girl and almost thought of her as a hero.

In seconds, Pan was walking with his Lost Ones behind him. Their hoods were over their heads, and each one of them held a dangerous weapon in their hands. Tiger followed their projected path with her eyes, and she noticed that they were heading towards a cliff.

She narrowed her eyes, but remained silent and still – almost as if she were a tree herself. As if she couldn't breathe and her breaths were short and soft. Her back against the teen's made sure that his breathing was covered. It left no room for anyone to hear anything.

She knew how to cover her tracks if she didn't want to be found – she had years to build up her arsenal of survival skills.

Pan vanished, and she knew better than to come out right away. No, he would sense her and ask exactly what she was doing and why. More specifically, his creeping suspicion of why she was with Baelfire of all the teenagers.

"Thanks," Baelfire muttered out, struggling to contain his growing fear.

She pulled herself off of him slowly, minding her surroundings to not make any additional unwanted sounds. The girl looked into the teen's eyes before she glanced over towards where Pan disappeared to. Why _was_ he heading towards the cliffs?

The only thing over there was…

And then Baelfire let out a shriek of panic, darting the girl's eyes to where he was currently sitting. Pan's shadow had its hands on his shoulders and was lifting him up slowly. Tiger let out a growl and quickly stood up, her hands illuminating with a white pulsing light.

It was a warning and a threat at the same time.

Pan's shadow stared at her with his hallow lifeless eyes before they glinted – and she could tell it was mocking her. The same way its owner always mocked and degraded her. Her hands glowed even more brilliantly and she aimed them at the shadow.

It let out a monstrous screech before flying away faster than she could attack it.

Clicking her tongue in disgust and annoyment at not hitting it harder, she ran after towards where Pan had been headed towards. It didn't take her two guesses to know why he and his group were following the trails towards the mountains.

Pan didn't like Baelfire not following his instructions – and he was going to make an example of him. That's why he had the entire camp with him, to show to others what would happen if they did not follow his every last order or whim.

Her hands clenched tightly, nails digging into her skin for a few seconds. "Damn it!" She cursed, pulling out her sword to fight against him.

Was it _her_ fault?

She had shown an interest in the boy.

But she was drawn to the light inside of him – almost like a moth to a flame. Even though she might not have any kindness, love, faith or dreams, this teenager had massive amounts of it. The determination that he would return to his family held a refreshing nostalgia to the girl.

She didn't actually believe that she could get home.

Not anymore.

Yet, he did. And she wanted to protect that side of him, because he reminded her so much of herself. Of Lilith - of who she used to be. But no matter how hard she tried to revert, Lilith was dead and buried. She would never come to the surface again.

"Pan!" Tiger yelled, her anger making an invisible wave of wind overcome a small section of the island. She emerged from the forest and stood in the open space that accompanied the small cliff. The Lost Ones were perched along the edges, all armed and ready to attack if Baelfire ran.

Pan turned away from the edge and greeted Tiger with a victorious smirk. He opened his arms and walked towards her.

"Lil!" He exclaimed in a giddy tone. She lowered her weapon slightly and moved to see what he was trying to hide behind him. His shadow was in the air and was dangling the teenager above the cliff. Tiger knew that there were sharp rocks that were jagging out of the ocean. Her hand tightened around the weapon, but she made no move to attack. Not when he was holding once again someone that she held an ounce of care towards in the air.

"So glad that you've joined us," Pan said, teleporting without a trace before reappearing instantly beside her. He had an arm draped around her shoulders, and he held her closer to him with a strong pull. She wouldn't meet his gaze and instead stared at the struggling and scared teenager that was being suspended above his imminent death.

"Let him go," Tiger ordered, still not meeting his eyes.

Pan pursed his lips, as if he were pouting. "But this boy needs to be taught a lesson, Lil," he stated, walking closer to the cliffs. Tiger took a step forward before some of the Lost Ones' weapons were aimed at her throat. She looked each one of them in the eyes before letting out a low growl of anger and resentment.

That was the only warning that anyone ever received from the warrior before they met their death. Some of the younger Lost Ones lowered their weapons and took a step back, others had their weapons still positioned towards her throat – their weapons shaking from the induced fear from her one single growl.

"You see, a family member needs to be taught a lesson by the head of the family – and this one," Pan stated, making a grand speech while pointing his index finger behind him with a sinister smirk on his face. " _This_ one refuses to listen to his older brother!"

Some chants and cheers escaped the Lost Ones while Tiger remained silent, her attention was directed to only Baelfire. The teen who was held captive by the shadow looked in her general direction. It was a silent plead for help.

A pain erupted through Tiger's skull. She remembered how Andrew looked exactly like that in Pan's grip. Except he was too mature to show fear – to ask for help. Tiger's hands clenched, but another pain shot through her skull.

She didn't want to fight anymore!

She just wanted to be left _alone_!

Tiger envisioned Thomas laying on the ground, but with a smile on his face. Because she had remembered who she was, and who he was supposed to be. Her precious true love from London, the only one that she had given her heart to.

And Pan crushed it in his cold, dark hands.

She fell to her knees, slamming her hands on the dirt ground.

In the afterlife when she met with her mother and father once more. The look of hurt that they showed when Pan took her away from them.

It all came crashing back to her, one flash back after another. It was becoming too much, and she couldn't handle the memories. The regrets, it gave her crippling anxiety that she could do nothing while Pan took everything, and everyone, away from her.

"Stop it…" Tiger muttered, slamming a single hand against the rocky cliff's surface.

Hook's face when Andrew was laying on the ground, lifeless. The accusation that she was the one who hurt anyone she ever cared for. Because Pan would take them away. She lost a brother, he lost a son. Who would Baelfire miss? And who would miss Baelfire?

Would she be indirectly responsible for his untimely demise because she couldn't help anyone?

Because she _wasn't_ a hero.

She was stuck being Pan's life source, and that meant that she was powerless to fight against him. Any move she would make, he was twelve steps ahead of her. And the people that she cared about - even people that she even knew - would be taken away.

"Stop it!" She screeched out, holding her head in her hands. It was the first time she had raised her voice and screamed as if she were a banshee in decades. The thoughts, her inner thoughts, and her regrets were all flashing in her mind. As if she were under a spell of some kind to realize her faults and her hidden guilt.

Her failures and her secret fears.

Pan owned her. She belonged to him - she had admitted that out loud _long_ ago.

But was this the reality that she wanted to take?

Was this _all_ _there_ _was_ on Neverland?

The thoughts abruptly stopped, and she slowly stood up to her feet. Her sword was a few inches away and she picked it up without uttering another sound. The memories disappeared to dust, as she would have liked them to stay.

But it helped her realize something important – since when was she ever Pan's slave?

Since when had she ever _truly_ belonged to him?

She let out a long steady breath. She stood up straight and deposited the sword in the holster that adorned her hip. Her eyes drifted to the Lost Ones, and she examined how they all looked at her as if she were a wild animal. Her name wasn't far from the truth – she did what she had to to survive.

Survive.

She was merely _surviving_ on Neverland – she wasn't _living_.

This wasn't what she was happy with. She wasn't too happy about trying to hurt Pan by going after Felix. He wasn't a replacement for Thomas – he wasn't even close. Felix was just another thing that Pan had owned, and he wanted his toys to get along together.

There was no replacement for the life that she had, and why should she settle for any less? And with Pan's group of savages that pretended that they were all brothers – that they were all a happy family of all people.

"Make an example of him," Tiger ordered, looking over at Pan with a steady, unyielding expression. Pan rose his eyebrows, not expecting that answer to come from the girl who had shared a conversation with Baelfire. She was the only one he would talk to, and Pan thought that had meant something to the girl.

"Do it," she pressured, making Pan become still. Pan was suddenly cautious, but not too cautious around her.

After all, what could she _possibly_ do to stop him?

"End his life, let him die," she uttered, walking over to him with a small gentle smile on her face. He became even stiller, unsure of how to continue his plan to make the girl even weaker. He thought those outbursts from earlier was sure sign that she was breaking.

She placed a gently hand on his chest and looked into his eyes. Pan thought that she had a small amount of fire left inside of her. He thought his grandson would be enough to rekindle the fire and make things much more amusing for him. Yet, the girl breaking and becoming eternally his was his end result. He didn't mind if it happened earlier in the game than anticipated.

"Are you sure?" Pan asked, and she walked back towards the cliff, her hand dragging across his chest to his shoulder. He turned to face her and found that her eyes had been darkened tremendously. His darkness was now inside of her. She was as twisted and malevolent as he was – he could sense it in her soul. There was a blackened heart in there somewhere, and he wanted to see it.

He wanted to see it charcoaled like _his_ was.

She gave him a smirk, and then looked over at Baelfire, who was confused about her sudden attitude change. He wasn't concerned, there was a small part of him that trusted her. He needed to _believe_ in that trust, it was the only thing that was preventing him from making his last words.

"Do it," she ordered in a light tone, yet it drew Pan in. She turned to face the shadow and Baelfire. Pan looked over at the shadow and let out a sinister smirk and a stern nod. The shadow followed orders and it let go Baelfire without a seconds delay.

Baelfire didn't even offer a scream in exchange for his death.

She turned around and had an unamused frown on her face. "Well done, Pan," she stated, making Pan narrow his eyes in suspicion. A part of him knew that it was all an act – after all, she was starting to become a tricky girl to read. "But by making an example out of him, you have to make an example out of me, too!" She yelled as she started to run towards the cliff.

"Get her!" Pan ordered, and his shadow was the first one to try and grab her. She pulled out her sword and aimed it at the sky. She then concentrated all of her magic power going through the steel. It served as a conduit for her magic, and a lightning bolt shot out of the weapon's tip and into the middle of the shadow.

It hit in its chest, leaving a gaping hole as it surged into the sky. The powerful magic made the sky grow a monstrous storm around the area. Dark clouds and rain suddenly hit everyone out of nowhere. Pan was weakened to his knees from the attack done to his shadow. His chest started to burn, and he placed a hand over it with a pained groan.

The wind had started to pick up, spiraling the rain in every direction. Tiger directed the wind to aim her towards the falling Baelfire. She reached out a hand towards him as she fell. He noticed that she was coming after him and knew he was right to believe in her.

He could sense that she was in the middle of dark and light, and he was glad that she had chosen the side of the light. She had chosen him instead of simply living her life.

"Tiger!" Baelfire yelled up towards her and then looked down and noticed that the sharp rocks the protruded out of the ocean were coming closer than he wanted. He wondered what happened up at the cliff while he was dropped because Pan wasn't coming after the two of them.

"Hang on!" She yelled before she did a twirl and closed her eyes. In a moment, she was underneath Baelfire, and his eyes widened.

The wind had started to pick up, and he couldn't hear anything. The rain was hitting his body, and it was cold. He started to shake, the two of them were going to die. But that didn't mean that they didn't try – that they didn't _try_ to go against Pan.

There was a loud gasp, and he was suddenly in the ocean next to the sharp rock. He looked up with wide and excited eyes. He was alive, they were alive and they could try and find a way off the island together!

His eyes traveled up the rock and he noticed the massive trails of blood and blood splatters on the neighboring rocks. His breath hitched in his throat, but he couldn't stop his gaze as it continued to travel upward.

Tiger had the vertical sharp rock going through her stomach. She held onto the rock with shaking, stern hands. They trembled uncontrollably, and Baelfire felt as if he couldn't breathe. She was going to die on that rock – she was going to die trying to save _him_!

"Tig…" Baelfire choked out, making the girl look down and notice that her first attempt at teleportation had worked. She let out a pained gasp when she tried to talk, blood escaping from her mouth. He held up a scared hand, and it was shaking form the fear and the shock.

"Ok-k-ay?" Tiger trembled out, her bottom lip quivering when she tried to pull herself from the rock. He nodded and tried to help pull her off of it. He wasn't as strong as she was – he wasn't even close. The added force that he brought wasn't enough to make her move an inch.

She let out another pained gasp before she silenced it as she bit her tongue. She looked around the area in a haze of confusion, not remembering what had happened a few seconds before. Sensing uncontrollable rage from above her, she looked up at the edge of the cliff. Pan was on his knees and looking down towards the two of them.

"Lil!" He yelled before he doubled over. The pain of her magic bringing a shuddered breath out from him.

"-ve t-t-o," Tiger stuttered out, looking over at Baelfire with desperation in her eyes. He nodded, he understood the need to run. Pan wasn't happy with either one of them – and he had a suspicion that he was _definitely_ wasn't happy with Tiger Lily.

She offered a bloodied hand out for the teenager, and he looked at her with wide eyes. What was she asking him to do? Was he supposed to hold it while she was bleeding out and going to die in front of him?

He nodded and took her hand. At the very least, he would be there to make her death less lonely. She was his friend, and he would always look out for his friends. She tightened her hold around the boy's hand and closer her eyes tightly. The pain was unbearable, but she needed to suffer through it. She needed to get the two of them to a safe place and away from Pan.

"Lil!" Pan screeched out, once again trying to stand back up. He collapsed on his knees once again, and Felix was there next to him to help him stand. Baelfire looked up at the more than pissed Peter Pan, looking into his eyes intently.

They were filled with want and obsession, but there was nothing but darkness. A darkness that promised that once he got his hands on the two of them, that he would have his vengeance at being wounded.

Then, Baelfire saw cave walls.

And Tiger was on the cave ground, a hole through her stomach as wide as the sharp rock was in diameter. Baelfire was at her side in an instant. Tiger opened up her eyes slowly and found that they were in a cave.

She was picturing one of the separate islands. She hoped that this was where the cave was located at. Feeling a tight squeeze from her hand, she looked down and found that he hadn't let go of her hand once.

"You can let go now," she said, sitting up with the still gaping hole through her body. Her limbs were still trembling, the shock from the wound hadn't fully left her yet.

"You should lay down!" Baelfire argued, and Tiger looked down at her body – ignoring his advice entirely. Already her body was beginning to heal and close up on its own. She was actually thanking that Pan's magic was keeping her alive for once.

She knew she couldn't leave Baelfire alone on the run from Pan.

"It's magic, kid," Tiger informed as she stood up. She wobbled a little from the blood loss, almost tripping over her own two feet. Baelfire was at her side in a second supporting her. Letting out a small chuckle and a shake from her head, she looked over at the wide eyed Baelfire. "Stop pretending to be surprised about the existence of magic…" She trailed, shaking her head again.

"I wasn't-!"

"You're from the Enchanted Forest, aren't you?" Tiger asked, and he rose his eyebrows in surprise. "I've…Been there once. The people there have a strange dialect to them. I could detect it instantly," she said with a shrug before looking back at Baelfire with a small, apologetic smile. "No offense."

He let out a long sigh. "Yeah, but I just want to forget about everything," he admitted. "And it's a long story."

Tiger ushered towards a cave wall and let out a pained gasp when they started to move towards it. Balefire was careful to not put her against the wall and helped her sit down. Once they were both seated and let out a few moments of silence to catch their breaths, Tiger looked over at the teenager with a nonjudgmental look in her eyes.

"We've got time to talk about it," Tiger joked around, and Baelfire let out a genuine smile.

"Okay. It kind of started with the Ogre Wars…"

 **To be continued…**


	19. The Dynamic Duo

**A/N: Thanks for all of you who reviewed and followed/favorited this little story of mine! You all are much too kind!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything. But my Tiger Lily was so much cooler than the one in the show. Just saying. Just pointing it out there.**

* * *

Don't carry me under  
You're the Devil in disguise  
God sing for the hopeless  
I'm the one you left behind

~ Breaking B "What lies Beneath"

* * *

Ch. 19 – The Dynamic Duo

 **(Past)**

The game was simple, it was who could keep the makeshift ball constructed from twigs in the air the longest. They would pass it from one another outside – the sun beating down on them. It had been day for the past two weeks, and she knew that at any given minute, Pan would make it night.

Might as well enjoy the sunlight while they still _could_.

"Feeling tired yet?" Baelfire taunted from across the clearing. He set the ball in the air, placing the tips of his fingers against it and gently forced it upward.

Sweat was trailing down each of the teen's faces, but neither would admit that they were exhausted. Time had passed by without them really taking notice of it. Tiger, who had her long locks of hair parted in the front of her body, did a small jump to do the same action as the boy had.

Her finger brushed against the twigs that they had carefully morphed into a circle, and she pushed upwards as it traveled over to the boy. "I might be older than you, kid, but that doesn't mean that you can take me!" She taunted back, and Baelfire let out a grin before taking a step to receive the ball.

It brushed past his fingers, and his eyes went wide when it landed on the ground a few inches behind him. He had just missed it, and he looked over at the teen girl with a smirk. "I guess so…" He reasoned, placing his hand on the ground to sit where he was standing.

Tiger placed her hands on her hips and walked over to him. "Did you let me have that game?" She asked, wondering if her companion was going easy on her that morning. He looked up at her and let out a few pants before propping up one of his legs to his chest.

"Some of us _do_ get tired," he stated, looking back down again and wiped the sweat that was beading up on his forehead. "Day thirty-two, and I think I might have seen something to get us off the island."

"Really?" Tiger asked in disbelief before looking down at him. She grabbed her hair and did a twist with the locks before securing it in a bun at the bottom of her head. "Enlighten me," she mused, knowing that anything he was going to suggest she had tried doing a dozen times before. Nothing would get them off Neverland except for Pan's permission.

And good luck getting _that_.

"There's a red ship that's docked over at the front beach…" Baelfire muttered, staring at the girl straight in the eyes. Her gaze became distant before she cleared her throat and looked away. She crossed her arms and turned from him. "It's something that we haven't seen before!"

"I have," Tiger stated in a dead tone.

Baelfire stared at her back for a few seconds. He pursed his lips and rose an eyebrow in curiosity at her actions. "Guessing from that reply that you've had a bad encounter with them?" He asked, trying to get any information that he could. Despite his best intentions she stayed silent.

She remembered Hook, she remembered him all too well. And the things that he had said to her when her brother died in front of them. How the people around her die, and that she would be better off alone. Hook was on her list of people she wanted to dismember. Although, she supposed a good place to start would be his other hand.

He left her here with _him_.

With _**him**_!

 _ **Monster**_ **.**

Pan was a _monster_.

 **Mon** …

She blinked away the dark, borderline insane thoughts in time to hear Baelfire's flawed reasoning.

"I was thinking that we could sneak on board the ship without them knowing. That way, Pan would never know that we had left!" Baelfire postulated, making Tiger turned around and narrow her eyes at him.

"He would know. He _always_ knows. The best plan of action is to wait until he's dead and _then_ make our move," Tiger countered, causing Baelfire to angrily stand up.

"And who knows when _that_ will be!" Baelfire argued, losing his patience with the teenager and shaking his head in rage, "You're not even going to try!"

Tiger let out an eerily calm smile. "I already _know_ what's going to happen – what's the point in trying?" She asked, her level tone making Balefire's anger boil.

He stomped his foot on the ground in irrigation. She wasn't understanding one of the qualities of being human. She didn't hold onto the possibility of hope. "Because that's what makes us human, Lilith! We need to believe that we can turn things around!"

"Shut up, Baelfire, you have no idea what you're talking about," Tiger ushered, walking closer to the boy. He looked down at the ground, already knowing that he was going to get lectured by her. How in Neverland you couldn't do this. Or you shouldn't do that. Or the best possible way to become undetected from Pan.

After not hearing a word escape her lips, she was only looking at him with regret in her eyes. He didn't understand it. Why did she have that emotion on her face? If what he said had hurt her in any way, then he wanted to take it back. She was his best friend on this hell of an island.

"Do what you want, Baelfire," she said with a sense of finality before turning away and walking back towards the cave. "If you want to _believe_ that you can go back home…" She hung onto those words as if they were a dead promise. "Then do it."

"Lilith…" Baelfire trailed, but was cut off when a gust of wind came out of nowhere causing the ball to be swept away from him. "What are you…?" He muttered, watching her enter through it.

When she saw the two beds and the numbers on the cave wall, she let out a long sigh. Maybe it was better this way. Pan technically didn't want Baelfire alive, maybe he would simply _let_ him leave. Hook, who would sooner kill her on the spot, would be fine with letting Baelfire board his ship.

She was alone. The silence of the cave was enough for her to realize that she was once again isolated. Yet, it was different from the time when she had wandered off by herself before. This time she had the resolve to take destiny in her hands.

The footsteps outside receded away from the cave, and she knew that Baelfire had made his decision. She had made hers too. The boy was too much of a hassle to keep track of. He had stupidly used the word 'believe,' which had no doubt fueled Pan's powers.

"Stupid…" Tiger trailed, leaning against the cave wall before sliding down it with her back. She didn't want to stand up, she knew it was better to be alone, but she didn't prefer it. Having the comfort of other people around her helped the loneliness of being an eternal prisoner.

Honestly, she would rather have the Lost Ones around now.

The wind blew in the stick ball making her look over at the cave entrance. The ball came rolling up to her before crashing into the side of her. "Stupid," she whispered, grabbing the ball that was Baelfire's creation and placing it in her hands.

Without thinking, she crushed it in seconds.

Twigs and sticks crashed around her. She blinked slowly before letting out a long sigh. "It's better this way, isn't it?" She asked to no one, and in a blink of an eye, it turned from day to night. If there was ever a time to move from their location to another – it would be now.

It was about time to move from their cave safe house. She was thinking that another cave around the area would be too cliché, not to mention predictable if Pan had ever found out about this one.

Standing up, she headed towards the East beach. If her memory served right, there was a cave that was located alongside the cliff. The only problem with that location – it was located near the ocean. And one wrong slip and she would fall into the currents below.

And she would die because she couldn't swim.

Rubbing the back of her neck in thought, she knew it was wiser to pick unpredictable locations. Pan _knew_ she couldn't swim.

This would work out best.

She rolled up her bed of leaves and branches and placed it under her arm. Walking over to the entrance of the cave, she took one last glance back to the home that she had known for the past month. Her journey would not end here – not because of some kid who had reawakened her resolve to live.

Without take a second look behind her, she stepped out into the night and headed east.

* * *

 **(Present)**

"How did you come back?" Water asked out of nowhere, making Fin look back at her with an inquisitive eyebrow. She narrowed her eyes at the fact that he couldn't speak their native tongue, and instead she had to resort to broken English.

"From dead?" She clarified, and he let out a silent 'oh' at what she was leading to. Water crossed her arms, careful to mind her surroundings as they came up to a low hanging branch that was in their path. "You dead, but now aren't?" She continued, shaking her head. "Make no sense. Once dead…you dead."

Fin let out a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, usually you stay dead, too…" He trailed, but then narrowly missed the low hanging branch and almost got hit in the face by it. That wasn't good, he needed to mind their surroundings, otherwise Pan or the Lost Boys could sneak up on them and they would be ambushed.

"You no stay dead."

"It's not like I have magic or anything like that…" Fin trailed with a long sigh, bringing his hand down to rest at his side. "I really _was_ in the Underworld – a fitting place for pirate scum like I was."

Water watched him from the corner of her eyes and crossed her arms. Patiently, she was waiting for him to tell the story that she was sure that even Peter Pan wanted to hear. For someone to come back to the realm of living took something much more powerful than magic.

"What happen?" Water edged on, causing Fin to let out a small smile.

"I saw her – my mother," he added, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "She looked so beautiful, her hair flowing to the sides. This white dress she was wearing really made her look like a…goddess."

Water let out a small hum in thought at what she was being told. "Is she?" She asked, making Fin turn to look at the woman with a raised eyebrow. Clearing her throat at the attention from the man with the same eyes as her, it made her cheeks flush. Looking away in shame, she hid a part of her face with her long black hair. " _Goddess_?"

Fin let out a genuine chuckle, causing Water to glance over at him again. She couldn't help it – he had this charm that she had never seen before. He fascinated her and also annoyed her by his ignorance of his ancestry. To not know one's culture was unforgiveable – one cannot run from their past.

"No, but she was pure of heart," he answered, looking forward to notice some wild berries growing from a nearby bush. They were red – and he remembered that any berries from Neverland were toxic. "Hades was furious that I was being taken from his realm."

Fin let out a shudder at the memory. He tried to not remember the blue fire erupting from his head in absolute rage. "When I came to, I was on the Jolly Roger – almost like I had never died at all," he explained before rubbing his neck subconsciously. "My neck hurt like a bitch – but then again, Pan _did_ snap my neck."

"No understand," Water commented, looking up at Fin with a curious glance. "How possible? No understand."

"You and me both, kid," Fin muttered under his breath as he let out a soft exhale. Even remembering how he came back was impossible for him to wrap his head around. Hook asked the question numerous times. Sure, Fin was happy that he was alive, he didn't understand how. "Guess it wasn't my time."

Water nodded at that, "We have saying: In death, Great Spirit guide you," she explained, taking note that Fin had snapped his head over to her and took in her words carefully. "Mother was native here on island, maybe she worked with Great Spirit to help."

Fin smiled at that reasoning. "I've never met my mother – actually it was the first time I've ever seen her _face_. Lilith looks like her…You know, in the face, and she also has the same hair as our mom. I have her eyes, though. I could tell that Lilith was always a little envious."

"Eyes are sign of heritage," Water clarified. "Native blood."

"I don't deserve them…" Fin whispered out, shaking his head in distraught. He had family on Neverland that he never even knew about. Hell, Water Lily could be related to him and he would have never known. "I know nothing _about_ this place, even when I _thought_ I did."

Water was silent before looking over to the side as a twig snapped. Immediately, she reached for a wooden spear from her own utility belt. Grabbing the lethal stick with two hands, she walked on the tips of her feet – sneaking up on her prey.

Observing from afar, Fin followed her movements, and mirrored her actions by taking out a sword silently. Slowly he took cover from behind a nearby tree and raised his hand to strike. Just as Water was about to take the plunge and attack, a black haired woman walked out from the bushes.

"Wait!" Fin called out, making Water flinch at the sudden noise. Lowering her spear, she turned to scowl at the man before noticing the woman that was traveling with them from before was standing in front of them. "Regina?"

"I really _hate_ forests," Regina muttered out, taking a twig that had found itself on her shirt with a glare. Looking at the silent native woman, she let out a smirk. "Glad to see _you're_ doing better."

The tribal woman noticed the sarcasm in her tone and had not appreciated it at all. Water narrowed her eyes before raising her spear to kill the woman regardless if she were a friend. She needed to know not to mess with the natives on the island so carelessly. Seeing her actions, Fin raised a hand with wide eyes.

"No!" He ordered, as if talking to a dog. Water glanced behind at him before getting ready to attack the defenseless woman again. "We _don't_ kill our friends!"

"Speak for yourself," Regina hissed out, causing Fin to let out a long exhale in exhaustion before directing his eyes at the native woman again. "Do it. You don't have the guts."

Water raised her spear again, but was prevented when Fin grabbed the wooden weapon with a huff. "Out of all the people to meet up with…" He trailed, trying to keep positive thoughts. He had just got on good terms with Water Lily. He had a long ways to go with Regina, considering their past together. "Can we get along for _five_ _minutes_?" He asked honestly, and at seeing the way the women were glaring heatedly at each other, he let out another word in a pressing tone. " _Please_?"

The native woman looked at Fin and then walked towards the path to continue their journey.

"Best keep that one on a leash," Regina scowled before walking past him.

Fin had a feeling that he was going to get a massive headache if he didn't already have one.

* * *

 **(Past)**

Tiger climbed the cliffs to reach the top. Her move to the cave had been rough, and the adventure to get supplies by climbing the cliff to get to the top had her heart pumping from fear. One wrong slip and she could fall and end up in the deathly water below. One loose rock and she would plunge to her death – and then she would be free of Neverland.

Still, she promised herself that she would live on Neverland. Death seemed too easy of a way out of her everlasting nightmare. As much as she would love to see her mother and father again, she didn't have the heart to take her life.

"Are you sure you saw her out here?" Gav said to Ryan. "Because I'm not seeing anything except stupid rocks."

"I know what I saw and I saw her!" Ryan protested. "You think I would ever forget the face of her? She made me a better fighter!"

Gav let out a snicker, "Yeah, after she beat you up on her first day!"

Ryan growled, and Tiger froze in her spot. She had been careless enough to let Ryan spot her. Ryan, of all the boys? She was losing her edge – three months had made her rusty at being stealthy. Holding her breath, she heard their footsteps grow closer. She felt the loose rocks at the top of the edge of the cliff give way when they looked over the horizon.

All they had to do was look down and they would see her.

And then what?

Go back to camp and be Pan's little object?

Clawing her medium length nails into the wall to suppress her anger, she looked up at the two teens who were still looking out towards the ocean. Taking in a slow, shaky breath, she repositioned herself to be in the shadow of the cliff just as they looked down.

She tried not to move as best as she could.

"Hey, you don't think that she's down there, do you?" Ryan asked, pointing towards the cave. Gave gave him a dumbfounded look. "What?"

"She can't _swim_ , you really think that she'll choose a place by the _ocean_?" Gave reasoned, making Ryan shrug. "You really _are_ as stupid as you look."

Gav turned away from the cliff with his arms crossed. "Besides, Baelfire is back at camp. It's only a matter of time before Tiger is back, too."

Tiger's eyes widened at that. "That stupid…!" She cursed before looking away to prevent her voice from traveling up. She didn't want the two boys to have more reason to stick around. After hearing their footsteps retreat, the girl let out a long sigh. "I _told_ him not to be careless. I _told_ him not to go down to that ship. But does the kid listen to _me_?" She vented out loud, grabbing a rock and hauling herself up to the next level of rock.

Her nails were filled with dirt, chipped, and broken in some areas from all the climbing with her bare hands.

"Of course he doesn't!" She argued, lifting herself up another level. "And then he had to go and get himself caught!"

"Amateur!" She yelled, pulling herself to the top of the cliff. Letting out a few pants from being out of breath, she stood up to notice that the two teens were standing in the forest a few feet from the cliff's edge. They stared at her and her hand drifted up to the makeshift spear that was resting on her back.

Letting out a soft chuckle that held a large amount of darkness to it, she raised her spear towards the boys in a quick and sudden motion. They took a step back in fear, and a small amount of surprise. "I guess I really _am_ losing my edge, huh?"

Gav took out a sword, and Ryan took out an axe.

"Thought you were better than that, Lil," Gav stated, angling his arm and hand for a quick strike. "Your weakness really _is_ Baelfire."

"What can I say?" Tiger sarcastically quipped, placing a second hand on the spear to steady her weapon. She hadn't fought anyone in quite a while, but the adrenaline and promise of a battle was running through her veins. It started to cause her arms to tremble with a small amount of excitement. "I like him better than all of you."

Ryan had a look filled with hurt, and pain flashed through Gav's eyes, but as soon as they showed up, they were washed away. Ryan swung his axe at his side. "I don't want to fight you, Lil," he pleaded, borderline whined.

Tiger knew she should have remained emotionless with their exchange. She lowered her spear to her side and released her other hand from her weapon.

Become as emotionless as possible and get information on the enemy.

"How's Pan?" She asked, making Ryan flinch unconsciously at the mere mention of the teenager.

"He asked all of us to bring you home," Gav informed. "He's still recovering from that nasty attack you dealt him."

"Please come back, Lil!" Ryan whined, causing Gav to almost face palm at his bluntness. There was no way that she was going to return _willingly_. "He's…" Ryan trailed, making Gave slap him on the shoulder hard. The teen was shaking his head, telling Ryan to keep his mouth shut. But there was no way that he could – she needed to know what was going on. "He's taking it out on the younger boys."

Tiger opened her mouth to respond, but closed it.

"I can't go back, and you two should know why," she hissed out, tightening her hold on her spear. "Do you know what he _did_ to me?" She asked in a soft, gentle tone, shaking her head and running a hand through her messy and tangled hair. "What he _does_ to me there. What I am to him is nothing more than an object," she scoffed, making the two teens look at her in concern.

"I'm a trophy – I'm his trophy…"

Gav lowered his sword slightly. Maybe the Lost One could convince the girl by tapping into her emotions. "But you're _our_ sister."

Ryan clenched his eyes in rejection before opening them with a loud yell in anguish. "If you won't come back with us – we'll take you by force!" Gav let out a wince at his best friend's words. So much for trying to appeal to the girl's emotions.

"You're welcome to try," Tiger insisted, spreading her arms open as an invitation. "There can only by one winner."

Ryan let out another yell before hurdling himself and his axe towards her. Gav did the same as he lifted his sword and charged. Tiger tried her best to not think about anything but the battle in front of her. She blocked all of the happy memories from her head. This wasn't a battle for Lily or Lilith. This was a battle for the girl who wanted to live on this island without Pan.

This was a battle for _Tiger_.

Blocking the attacks simultaneously, the extended blade of Ryan's axe had sliced her finger. Letting out a growl, she twirled her spear to knock back the two teens. It was successful as they both landed on the ground. She took a step towards the two downed teens with only her will to live.

This was her _ambition_.

This is what fueled her to keep going.

Swinging the spear to the side, she raised it. It took a few seconds, but now she saw the two teens as enemies, and _only_ enemies. They needed to be defeated by _her_ hand, or they were going to get Pan. They would tell him about her hiding spot and then he would be back.

 _ **They needed to die.**_

"Lil, please come back with us already!" Ryan whined, making Tiger look over at his direction. He held the more powerful weapon. She needed to take care of him first. With a flick of her hand, the area was surrounded by a white transparent dome of magic.

The effect of the magic made the two of them be held down to the ground by an invisible force.

 _ **She needed to kill them.**_

Raising her spear to pierce through the chest of Ryan, she stood over him and raised her weapon. The teen stared into her eyes with fear before looking away in acceptance. She went to quickly lower the spear when an arrow shot out of the woods.

Flinging the spear out of her hands.

"Lilith, no!" Baelfire yelled from inside the woods.

Tiger looked up and blinked. Her self-induced trance subsided, and her magic had disappeared. "Baelfire?" She asked, causing Baelfire take a few steps from the forest towards her. "What…Where _were_ you?"

"That doesn't matter, we have to go. More Lost Boys are after me!" Baelfire yelled, making Tiger perk up at that name. He called them Lost Boys instead of Lost Ones. The name had never fit better. "Let's go!" He ordered, holding out his hand for Tiger to take it.

She ran over to his side in a heartbeat and took it before they sprinted off into the trees.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Fin kept his eyes on both women, although Water was less talkative than before. The native woman wouldn't usher a single word to Regina, and honestly, the man liked it better in silence. Due to his untrained ears, not talking was the best thing that they could do now. Pan would be easier to detect – even his teleportation magic had a faint sound attached to it.

"She's a lot like me…" Regina spoked out, walking on the other side of Fin. The sudden conversation caught him off guard, and he never thought it would be Regina to strike up a conversation with him. Not when they had met back up a few weeks ago. "Your sister," she clarified when she caught him staring.

"I see," Fin muttered, making Water peek her head over to the woman. "It's gotten to the point where I don't even know her anymore," he spoke, making the ladies look at him in curiosity and interest. "Pan…He would always break her down and build her up to be a new person."

Regina was quiet before letting out a small scoff in disbelief. To her, the young teen girl seemed to be a fierce warrior who wouldn't take a second more to decide to kill an enemy. "It's hard to imagine that a personality like that would be easy to change."

Fin let out a chuckle. He had seen three sides of his sister – Lilith, Lily, and Tiger. Lilith from London, Lily when Pan had mentally brainwashed her to be loyal to him, and of course the Tiger that they had all come to know rather quickly. "I'd imagine not," he stated.

"Her eyes…" Regina brought up, just thinking of those eyes of the girl's. They screamed out with murderous intent, and the woman could detect a faint trace of bloodlust from the girl as well. It wasn't at all surprising when she killed those two lost boys just a few days ago without a hint of remorse. "Usually the eyes reflect the consciousness of the soul – but with her I don't see a soul anymore…" Regina muttered, glancing up at the man to her left.

She watched how he tensed up at the mere mention of his sister's soul. He looked over at the woman with a cheeky grin. "If you're looking for a story to be told, I'm afraid that not even _I_ know what happened to her."

Water shook her head with a scoff. "She not one for words," she spoke softly, yet the other two had caught it. "Not always was she who she was," Water continued, slowing down to look around the area. Not to mention, she could visibly hear that they both needed a break from all the trekking. Yet, they were both too prideful to say something about it.

"And if we ask, you'll tell us it's not your story to tell, isn't that right?" Fin asked sarcastically, causing Water to shake her head. He rose an eyebrow at this and perked his head up. "You would divulge your tribal sister's secrets?"

"Her secrets I never tell!" Water yelled before leaning against a nearby large rock. Regina and Fin glanced at each other before they both took a break by going closer to the woman. "Neverland - there no secrets _to_ keep. She come to village by complete accident – breaking magic barrier by extinct pixies."

Fin bit the inside of his mouth to prevent himself from asking when this was. Any information on what happened to his sister was good information that he'd rather not interrupt.

"No shadow… _lifeless_ ," Water continued, "We help. We restore, give life, back to as normal as can be when living here." She caught Fin looking at her before raising an eyebrow at his incompetence to follow when this was. "Baelfire, after she helped escape him. Pan made sure…" Water trailed, but quickly looked away.

Fin resisted the urge to yell what happened next.

Regina decided to do that instead.

"What do you mean? What did he do?" Regina demanded, now instantly drawn to the story. It couldn't have been any worse than what she did to people. Then again, death by magic was certainly a painless instant end. She was holding her breath at this point, and Water looked up to her.

"She no have to tell me. Since that day, she never smile. He took away happiness, she only fraction of human she once was. It…" Water trailed, bringing a hand up to her chest. Almost feeling the pain in her heart for her sister – of the mental bond that they share. "It horrible. He horrible, evil, man…"

Fin watched Water for a few seconds before hearing a shuffling in the woods. Grabbing a sword by his side, he quickly took it out and aimed it at the newcomer. It felt like Pan – his instincts were screaming out that it was the immortal teenager.

"It's just the Dark One…" Regina muttered out, waving her hand dismissively. "Can't you tell by his magic…?" She began to say before rolling her eyes. "Right, you don't have magic, and neither does she."

"Speaking of," Fin brought up, "Why did you branch out from the group?"

The woman let out a loud exhale of annoyment, "They think _Balefire_ is still alive…" She said with disbelief laced with disgust. They were supposed to be here to save Henry, and yet they were to caught up in this fake side mission to even focus correctly.

Water leaned forward, "Yes," she commented, and Regina quickly shot a glare over to her. "He alive. Tiger told," she added, and Regina let out a long sigh.

"And she couldn't tell Ms. Swan and her gang of incompetent idiots this?" Regina whined, and Fin let out a chuckle. She then sent her glare over to the man just as Rumple stepped into the clearing where they were located. "What?"

"Unneeded information, probably," Fin argued. "Tiger won't release information unless she deems it important. She had no clue that Emma and Neal were together. Plus, she really doesn't like Hook. By the look of her eyes, she seems to like Mary Margret."

Water nodded in agreement, "I could tell right away," she commented, making Fin look at her with a thin smile. "Short haired woman has fair aura. Light heart."

"I'm going to throw up if you keep talking about princess light anymore…" Regina complained once again, bringing a hand up to her head, no doubt she was feeling a headache start to form. The woman knew that it was only a matter of time before these two got on her nerves.

"I have a plan," Rumple announced, making the three of them turn towards him. "I'm going to need a mermaid's help to do it."

* * *

 **(Past)**

"Turns out that he knew my mother," Baelfire concluded about his short stay on board the Jolly Roger. Tiger watched him, before lowering her head. She wouldn't tell him the story of how she had killed Hook's son – her brother. Of course, she hadn't killed him, but indirectly it was her fault. "You were right to stay away from him – he turned me into Pan without thinking twice about it."

Tiger remained silent and instead looked off into the distance. The winds shifted on the island and if that wasn't a clear sign that Pan was gaining his strength back…then she would be too naïve to keep living freely in Neverland. Balefire watched to where she was looking, but of course he didn't feel anything different about the island. He held no magic, and had no ability to possess magic. The boy was ignorant to magic and didn't know what to look out for.

However, he hated magic, and most likely hated her, too.

She didn't know if he would ever voice that, but she was sure that the day would be coming soon where he did. It was only a matter of time before the solitude and realization sits in. Once you were on Neverland, you couldn't escape from it. There was only Pan and his gang of Lost Boys. Hook was also a part time resident, however, he worked for the deranged teenager.

Baelfire would realize that he was trapped and blame magic once again for his troubles. His father had succumbed to the dark magic that overcame him. Pan's shadow took his sister and brothers away and he traded himself for their safety. Magic was his greatest enemy, and magic users should be considered as enemies as well.

Tiger kept reminding herself that the day would surely be coming where Baelfire would hate her as well. It didn't matter how close they were getting, or how much light was in his heart. She used to be normal, she used to be human just like him. Now, she was tainted with Pan's darkness - with half of his heart as proof. There would be no going back now that she was like this.

"You've been quiet for a long time, Lil," Baelfire exclaimed, making Tiger look up at him.

"Do you hate me?" Tiger asked suddenly, and the boy was caught off guard by the question. He stared into her unrelenting gaze that was directed towards him. He thought that she was joking, or that the question was light-hearted. By the intensity in her stare, he knew that she was serious. She believed that he had somehow hated her.

Shaking his head, he walked closer to her. "Lil, you saved me. Not once, or twice…" He trailed, and she looked down at the ground. "Plus, you're my _best_ friend! How could I possibly hate you?"

Tiger quickly looked up at him, "I have magic in me, Bae," she stated. He bit his lower lip before shaking his head and opening his mouth to argue against that. She wouldn't let him explain his reasoning, she needed to let him know exactly what kind of atrocity she was. "I have half of Pan's heart inside of me. _That's_ how I have magic."

"I don't care, Lil," Baelfire said in a calm tone, that Tiger was taken aback. "You're still a great person even if you have half of his heart inside of you. I know that you care about others, even if you don't see it."

"You don't understand!" Tiger yelled before turning away from him. "You called me a person, but I'm not even that. I was ready to kill those two boys back there, Baelfire…" She said, turning back around to face him. "They've been with me for as long as I've been here. I was going to kill them because they were in my way! I'm scared of Pan, and they threatened to take me back to him. I can't go back there, I can't go back, Bae."

Baelfire watched her before slowly enveloping her in a hug. She froze, she was on the verge of tears, but this one simple action from one of her closest friends had taken away her sadness. Her eyes went wide, and he tightened his hold against her. "You won't have to. I'll make sure we'll get off this island _together_. You won't ever have to be alone with him again."

Tiger sniffled before hugging back suddenly. That sounded so nice, all the decades upon decades of his games, of his torture against her. The scars that aligned her arms when she was Lilith and didn't have magic to heal herself. The faint scar she had on her neck from when she tried to take her own life. Neverland had intertwined itself inside of her, and it was all because of Pan.

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Tiger whispered, her voice barely audible to him. "He's broken me more times than I can count. I don't think I could put myself together again."

"I swear to you, I'll find a way where we can both be free forever," Baelfire stated before pulling away from her. He looked her in the eyes and let out a small smile. "Pan wasn't at his best when I was brought back to the camp. We still have time."

Tiger stared at him, "Not as much as you would think. He's gaining strength," she informed, bringing a hand up to her chest. She could sense it in the winds, but his half of her heart was beating wildly. He was restoring his power and would come after the two of them with all he had.

"We better hurry and find a way off," Baelfire mentioned as he grabbed Tiger's hand and began to run. "I found a cave that Pan wouldn't think to look. We can hide out there until we figure out a plan."

She nodded and followed his lead.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Tiger walked into the campsite exactly how Pan had predicted. Pan watched the girl enter the camp before the trees behind her formed into a barricade. The girl kept her eyes forward but tilted her head to the side from the noise the magic made. She then faced forward and looked at Pan with narrowed eyes.

She had a growing fear in the past that Henry would make her too human – too much like Lilith again for her to kill. Now, however, she held no fears looking into the eyes of the teenager who took away the last of her race. White Beard's tribe of people who took her in and watched over her when she was far too weak to look after herself.

The tribe chief taught her to build mental walls – something that Pan never did. Why would he have? Pan wanted her mind to be easily penetrable so he could manipulate it again any way he pleased. Still, the walls came down and thanks to Henry, she was influenced by his music. Which led to the tribe's destruction, and she had no one to blame but herself.

"I didn't think you could kill off any more of my family members…" Tiger trailed, placing her hands by her waist where her utility belt was. Swiftly and elegantly she grabbed two swords at her side and quickly pulled them out.

Pan watched with an amused dark smirk that seemed to grow at her eagerness to fight. It wasn't completely unexpected, especially by her last words that she spoke. He had heard them just as he had teleported out of her magic range.

 _Blood will have blood._

It was a tribal saying that was centuries old. When it is spoke, vengeance will be served tenfold in respect for the blood that had been shed, or deaths that had occurred. Yes, Pan was well acquainted with that saying far too well.

"I will do anything I damn well please, sweetheart," Pan said nonchalantly, letting out a small shrug. "Now, truly, all the nuisances are gone."

"Did you forget about the one standing in front of you?" Tiger mentioned, slowly approaching the teenager. It was as if she were stalking her prey and was waiting for the right time to pounce and ensnare her victim.

Pan let out a chuckle, watching her actions carefully. The bloodlust was radiating off her in incredible waves. Her killing intent was clearly visibly in those narrowed, beautiful green eyes of hers. It was filling him with glee to see his Tiger Lily focused and serious about killing him for once. All her other attempts held half the energy that _this_ one did. "You're hardly called a nuisance, my dear. Perhaps you could be called my _greatest_ accomplishment."

Tiger blinked slowly, the words made her blood boil. It fueled her anger and rage to completely tear the teenager limb from limb as violently as possible. To see blood spilling from his wounds mercilessly before she plunged her sword into his throat and let him die slowly from blood loss. He wouldn't be able to scream for any sign of mercy because he would be choking on his own blood. Letting out a small exhale, she swung one of her swords in her hand to clear her mind.

She needed to focus on the battle that was at hand – to cast away all her emotions and think clearly. Obviously Pan's words were getting to her, despite her best efforts to keep her anger at bay. He always knew the best offensive was a brilliant defensive, and what better way to do that then with belittle, mocking words?

"After all, who else can _proudly_ say that their favorite toy has lasted a _century_?" Pan continued, hurting her in the only place that he could – her pride. Take away the rest of the human emotions, and the pride is the one thing that simply cannot be erased.

That is to say, until it is.

Once he crushes her pride for the last time, she will be as lifeless as she once was before. He brandished a superior smirk, not finished with his small monologue that would no doubt set her off by the time he was finished. "Of course, I care for you far more deeply than a toy. A prized possession? Maybe a pet?"

"Shut up…" Tiger couldn't help but growl out.

"How do you expect this all to end, Lil?" Pan mocked, walking closer to the girl. "The heroes win and you have a 'happily ever after'?" He taunted, making the girl grip the handles of her swords tighter. Her nails were chipping into the handle, but that was the only thing she could do.

The plan required her to remain calm.

"That won't happen – I won't allow that to happen," he said. "You are mine. You belong to me, forever and always. If you die, then I'm taking you with me. If you die, I refuse to let you go. And if you ever _think_ you can escape me…"

She narrowed her eyes, watching him carefully as he approached her.

"Then when this is all over, and _everyone_ you care about is _dead_. When Henry is a lost boy and you are once again all _alone_ with _no one else_ except _me_ …" He trailed, letting out a cocky chuckle. "I'll be sure to erase _all_ the bad memories and we can start _all over again_."

Her shoulders were steadily rising, the action imitating a large cat when it's angry or ready to pounce. The thought of losing everything all over again and becoming his mindless slave was becoming too much for her. She clenched her teeth to prevent herself from saying anything. From her emotions getting out of control as they tended to do.

"Won't that be nice?" He asked himself rhetorically. "Then you really _wouldn't_ want to leave!"

"Once again in my arms _and_ care."

"We would live _forever_ in perfect harmony and peace without _anyone_ bothering us!"

"And you wouldn't know _any better_ than to _be with me_."

"And the _best_ part?"

Her grip was starting to slip.

"I would _win_."

"Shut up!" She yelled, charging at him with her magic being unleashed behind her. It propelled her to clash into him, but not before swinging her sword at him. Lightning was dancing off the blade, and she tried to stab him through the lower abdomen.

Naturally, it was his plan to get her to become this angry. Whatever battle tactic she tried to use, he would counteract it with an attack at her pride. She knew this – he always did it, but she could never guard against it.

He teleported behind her and grabbed her upper arms just as she was about to turn and strike him. "That pesky lightning attack of yours has left me with my fair share of agony in the _past_ …" He muttered, making the girl try and attack him once again. However, she was prevented from doing any damage when his hands tightened around her shoulders. She could feel his nails digging into her skin, and the bruises already forming from where his fingers were pressing down. "It's not something that I would _care_ to _experience_ again."

"I will _kill_ you," Tiger muttered, once again trying to turn and swing down her two mighty blades. "I swear I will."

"The best dreams are ones that are unattainable, Lil," he informed her, making the girl's right eye twitch. She tried to swing at him again, but this time, much like the first few attempts resulted in failure. Her energy was being depleted, and that's exactly what Pan wanted to do to her. Standing in front of him, her shoulders started to slump forward. Her chest rising up and down from her being out of breath. "That-a-girl, calm down…"

She chose to slide down on her knees before placing her weapons on the ground. "I want to leave," she hissed out. His hands left her upper arms, and now he was kneeling in front of her in curiosity.

"Leave?" Pan asked, tilting his head to the side, feigning ignorance. "Why would _anyone_ want to leave?" He asked, a dark smirk slowly appearing on his face. His eyes glimmered with a menacing darkness that he was no doubt composed of. "And you can't anymore, remember? You drank the water, you'll _die_ if you leave Neverland."

A lifeless chuckle escaped from her throat. "That's exactly what I _want_ to happen."

In an instant, he was on top of her, holding her down with his hands once again on her upper arms. She tried to fight against her grip, and she squirmed under his strength. "Is my little Lily _that_ broken up about losing a fake family?"

"Those were my _people_. You took my _heritage_ away from me, Pan!" Tiger yelled, absolutely furious by what he had said. If anyone was a fake family, it was him and his stupid lost boys. It was disrespectful to talk ill of the dead, and Pan didn't know when to stop. Then again, he didn't care about the natives – he never did. "I'm alone now!"

He shut her up instantly when he stroked her face with the back of his hand. "You have me. You'll _always_ have me." A few tears escaped from her eyes, and she looked to where he was holding her down before trying to move one of her arms. It was impossible to do from under his weight, and she felt him stroke her once again.

"Stop!" She sobbed out, her strong persona once again breaking just from the mere contact of his skin on hers. "I can't do this anymore!" She screeched, hopelessness flowing through her.

"It's alright, let it all out," Pan encouraged, although when she looked over at him, the dark smirk never disappeared. He was enjoying that he was breaking her once again. Her tribal family wouldn't be there to help build her back up. This time, it would be Pan, and she was scared of what would happen if he was the one that was stitching her back together.

"Let go of me," Tiger said, her tone stern, but her eyes wide from fear. He wouldn't remove his hands, if anything, he tightened his hold against her. "I said let go!" She screeched, a pulse of magic escaped from her, forcing him off of her.

It was good to know that she wasn't completely broken that she couldn't tap into her magic.

Scrambling to her feet, she grabbed a sword and looked around cautiously for the teenager.

She knew that she would need to defeat him this time around. If she didn't, then she would never be able to escape the camp again. He would hold her here and enjoy every second of her brokenness that he had succumbed her to.

Whipping around just in time to block a magic attack, she swung it against the trees. It knocked back a few pine trees, and barely shook the oak trees that stood strong. "I suppose this was inevitable," Pan said as he appeared in front of her with his hands on his waist in disappointment. "Yet, this will also be the final battle before you lose yourself to your emotions and your pride."

Tiger didn't trust her voice to say anything.

Instead, she raised her sword and narrowed her eyes.

 **To be continued…**


	20. Last Call

**A/N: It's been quite a long time, but I figured that I'd update this story since it doesn't have too much longer to go, really. There will be a bonus underworld chapter after everything is said and done, but aside from that the story is relatively finished.**

 **Thanks to everyone who favorited and followed this! Means a lot that you're sticking through it and reading my horrid writing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

This ride that takes me through life

Leads me into darkness but emerges into light

No one can ever slow me down

I'll stay unbound

~ AX7 "Unbound"

* * *

Ch. 20: Last Call

 **(Present)**

Tiger dodged Pan's attack that had meant to seriously maim her. Even a little bit more to the left and she would have lost an arm. Sliding backwards and slapping a hand to her left arm to cover the blood that was starting to slide down the limb. Growling, she looked over at the teenager who smiled innocently at her, swinging his own weapon at his side.

The girl could see splatters of blood – her blood - hitting the ground as she watched from a small distance away. The ground greedily absorbed the crimson liquid as it disappeared into it. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in and steadied her shaking grip on her weapon. Pan had managed to get her other sword out of her hand, and now she only had one to readily use.

The forest around the small clearing was on fire from the use of both of their magic. Some of the oak trees, along with multiple line trees were ignited, while some where simply charcoaled black. Tiger let out another breath to calm her nerves. Her left hand kept trembling, causing the sword in it to shake from her unspoken fear.

"Surrender," Pan ordered to her, breaking the silence between them. "You _know_ that you can't last against me, Lil. Why are you even _trying_?" He taunted. He walked over to her as she stood there, still trying to calm her breathing. Pan knew that her energy was leaving her – not to mention that her magic reserves had officially ran out ten minutes ago.

He was truly impressed that she had managed to last this long in the condition that she was in.

"…I can't let you win," Tiger spoke in a raspy tone. Her throat was dry from the constant dodging and running from Pan's attacks. He rose his eyebrows at that. This wasn't the first time that he had heard those words of defiance come out of her mouth. He doubted it would be the last – at least until he broke her for the final time.

Pan stood a few feet in front of Tiger. He drew his sword out and brandished her a cold, delectable smile. "I _never_ fail. Now, I'm not going to say that this isn't going to hurt you."

Tiger stared at the teen, not understanding what he was speaking about; she still had a good amount of space to dodge a physical attack. Then, she had felt the stinging sensation of multiple swords stabbing her through her upper body. Looking down slowly as blood spat out from her mouth, she regarded the swords piercing through her with a detached numbness.

She fell to her knees, wanting to at least have the dignity to not lay on the ground. However, her energy had completely left her, causing her to fall to the forest floor lifelessly. Her right arm was the only thing that she could see with her disoriented vision. She had fell on it, using her upper right arm as a pillow to support her weak head. Then, ever so slowly, she saw the familiar boots of Pan fill her vision.

"You understand, don't you, love?" Pan asked, although his words seemed to be muffled. His feet stopped in front of her; no doubt he was looking down at her from his current position. She did her best to blink – to move her fingers and prove that she could still fight – but nothing would respond to her. Blood began to pour from her wounds that the teen had inflicted, and she noticed the red substance being soaked into the area around her.

Pan bent down so Tiger could still see him without moving her head – although it wasn't as though she could at the present moment. He then placed a hand to her forehead and pushed aside some of the loose hair that had fallen into her face. Some of her blonde strands had been dyed a dark red from her blood. "You've become far too aggressive. I needed to sedate you for a little while I tend with more pressing matters."

She wanted to speak her mind to the teen – to curse him out or insult him with vulgar, distasteful threats. Flashes of her lunging at him and gripping his throat tightly in her hands crossed her mind. To see the light drain from his already cold, lifeless eyes would be the highlight of her damn century. Trying to swallow her dry throat to form words, she found herself coughing on her own built up saliva mixed with blood.

Pan shook his head as he looked at the girl with pity. "Don't worry, Tiger, as soon as I'm done tending to my guests, I'll be sure to pay more attention to you," he promised softly, pulling his hand away from the girl. Tiger's eyes widened insignificantly since she still did not have enough energy to do much else except lay there…bleeding to death.

"Felix," he called, his eyes never leaving Tiger's. A figure walked out of the forest with his hood up. Pan hadn't glanced over at the newcomer. "Take her back to camp. Tend to her wounds. Then, you will kill Baelfire."

"I no think so!" Water's voice came from under the hood.

Pan's eyes widened, and he glanced over at the hooded figure. He hadn't expect this from a less than intelligent native. Water charged forward at the teen with a raised spear. He brought up his hand to catch the weapon, but found that he was being suddenly impaled from behind. Pan let out a grunt from the sudden intrusion in his upper torso. Turning his head slowly behind him, he let out a mad grin on seeing the adult male.

"Not just _one_ savage…But I get to deal with Dent as well?" Pan asked sarcastically. He let out a cough when Fin pushed his sword deeper into the teen's back. Pan spat out blood, then he raised the back of his hand to his mouth to wipe away red substance. "What a _special_ occasion…"

Water then pierced her spear into Pan's chest. That seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back, and the teen fell to his knees slowly. After dealing with Pan, both Fin and Water ran over to where Tiger was bleeding out slowly. She was looking at the scene unfold in front of her with a half-lidded gaze. Pan glanced over at Tiger who was only a few feet away and let out a characteristically dark smirk as he fell to the ground as well.

"Lil!" Fin yelled, propping her back up to help her breathe easier.

Water eyed the multiple weapons that were in the teen girl's upper body. There must have been about twelve of those things stabbing her tribal sister at different angles. "I take out," Water stated, not wanting to waste another second. If any more time had passed, then it would be harder to keep Tiger alive without the assistance of Pan. The native adult frowned at that thought – she would rather _die_ than ask Pan to do something for her.

Fin opened his mouth in shock. "Don't take them out-!"

"She no heal otherwise!" Water countered, not looking up at Fin. Her hand gripped on the handle of a sword, making Tiger let out a flinch from pain. Water's eyes softened at her response, but shook her head and decided to do it quickly. Using most of her strength, she clenched her teeth and pulled out the weapon as fast as she could.

Tiger let out an agonizing yell, gripping the ground underneath her tightly. Dirt and small articles of grass accumulated in her nails and she caused claw marks to appear in the forest floor. Fin squeezed her shoulders tightly, but didn't know how else to help her. "It's alright, you can do it!" Fin cheered her on.

Water threw the sword she had pulled out across the clearing and then looked back at Tiger. "Forgive…" Water muttered. Tiger looked back at her and was breathing heavily from the pain. The teen girl let out a stern nod, closing her eyes. Fin observed how pale her skin had become and the dark rings under her eyes from just how exhausted she was – he bit his tongue to not say anything.

"It's cute, really…" Pan's voice came from beside them. Fin and Water both darted their heads instantly to Pan, who was standing with his arms crossed. Their weapons that they had impaled him with had disappeared, and there wasn't a trace of a single injury on his body. "You all try so hard to help her."

Water growled, digging into her sash and taking out a knife quickly as she turned around to face him.

Pan eyed her before staring solely on Tiger with a smirk. "She will _never_ be free. We are one of the same. Not to mention, she drank the water. She won't be able to leave with you…" Pan dramatically spoke, looking over at Fin. He then directed his attention to Water, who was itching to throw her weapon at the teen. "And you," he included the girl into his long winded speech. "Your entire race has been annihilated. You don't even have a home anymore. Why do you fight so desperately?"

"Don't let him get to you!" Fin yelled at seeing Water start to falter with her offensive stance. She stumbled out of the small daze at the news of hearing that her people had died. "You listen to his words – you even _start_ to _believe_ in them and it's _over_ for you!"

Pan shrugged nonchalantly. "It took you _this_ long to figure it out?" He rhetorically asked. He then looked back down at Tiger. "She hasn't figured it out yet, and even after all of these years of being trapped with me…"

He bent down to Tiger's level, just as Water had a knife to his back, threatening to plunge it deeper in case he got any funny ideas. Fin glared at the teen and held his sister tighter. "If you take any longer then she's going to die," Pan announced, regarding the two of them as if they were nuisances. "I don't have the time to visit the Underworld to bring her soul back here."

"Just treat her…" Fin warned.

Pan let out a chuckle. "Calm down, Dent. It's nothing to break your neck over…" He trailed, bringing his hands in front of Tiger. The teen girl eyed him intently, wondering what he was up to. Pan never would have acted this way – he was up to something. Fin let out a growl of his own, causing Pan to smirk. "I see that you're still sore."

Water pushed the knife deeper into Pan's back.

Tiger narrowed her eyes up at him, although they were unfocused and tired.

Pan raised an eyebrow. "I can't believe that you would choose these naïve fools over me, Lil," he muttered out, standing up, causing the teen girl to have a coughing fit. She opened her mouth, trying her best to make words form in her throat. In seconds he waved his hand over at Tiger, causing her to disappear in green smoke.

"You bastard!" Water yelled, pushing the knife into his back.

Pan teleported across the clearing and took the knife out of his back with an unamused expression. Bringing the knife to the front, he eyed it briefly before throwing it carelessly on the ground behind him. Fin stood up and narrowed his eyes at the teen.

"You are all nuisances that need to be purged," he spoke darkly. "Felix. You will do the honors, won't you?" He asked, just as Felix emerged from the forest with a thin frown on his face. "I do need to tend to Tiger's injuries…"

Felix nodded his head, drawing his mace from his back.

Water and Fin tensed while pulling out their own weapons.

* * *

 **(Past)**

Tiger glanced nervously behind them at the sudden crack of thunder that erupted in the area. Baelfire was about to take a step up the mountain they were climbing on, but then noticed that she wasn't behind him. "Lil?" He asked, causing her to look back nervously at him. "What's wrong?"

 _He's coming._

"It's Pan," she responded, narrowing her eyes in thought. "Nothing happens on this island without a reason. The lightning that just happened was him letting me know that he's coming." She looked over at her friend with a grimace. Pan would come and he would be beyond pissed for the way that she had tricked him almost close to half a year ago. "We have to hurry."

He nodded, offering his hand for her to take. She accepted the offer as he pulled her up an especially tedious part of the mountain. Tiger was about to take another step until there was another eruption of thunder, followed by a sudden downpour. She blinked a few times, since the water kept trying to get in her eyes.

She was about to take another step, but as her foot hovered on the next smooth rocky part of the mountain, she narrowed her eyes. Then, she sensed it – there was about to be a fight, and she couldn't protect both herself and Baelfire in this weather.

"Go, Baelfire!" She barked out, causing the teenager to look back at her with wide eyes. He opened up his mouth to warn her, but she had already foresaw a conflict when it came to Pan. With great speed and agility, she took out a sword and blocked Felix's attack. It caused a loud crash that could be heard even above the rain. "Go!"

Baelfire nodded, although the girl wouldn't have been able to have seen it. The teen headed up the mountain, using both his hands and feet to help him along the way.

They were going to summon Pan's shadow to take them off the island, however, he didn't know if his plan would be as successful as he was hoping. He caused a few rocks to trail down the mountain when he reached the top. Looking down the mountain he watched as the rocks he had caused to fall miss Tiger, and came close to hitting Felix, but he side stepped expertly to avoid them.

There was another crash of lightning, and Tiger was pushed up against the mountain side. Her sword had blocked his axe and he was pushing roughly towards her. Tiger's arms were trembling from the strain that the weapon was causing her. "Felix, just let us leave!"

"I can't _do_ that, Lil. You know I _can't_!"

"Why don't you stop being his little slave for _once_ in your life!" She responded, and shook her head at his simple mindedness. "Be your own person! You can do it. You can free yourself from him – _come with us, Felix_!"

He eased up from his relentless assault and stared wide eyed at the girl in front of him. "You…You really think that you can leave?" The teen shook his head. "How? How the hell do you think you can leave this island without his permission? You can't, Lil, it's _impossible_!"

A black figure zoomed past the two teens and up towards the mountain. Felix then narrowed his eyes in thought for a few seconds before he chuckled. It started quiet, and then grew to be maniacal and uncontrollable. "His shadow…?" He asked, shaking his head, staring up at Baelfire who had summoned the shadow to the top of the mountain. "It doesn't listen to anyone except for _Pan_! I _knew_ you didn't have a way out!"

He looked back at Tiger, who merely stared ahead. "It was the best we could do…" She quietly spoke out in a monotone. Felix stared at the girl and then shook his head again. "But…If we can't use Pan's shadow…" She trailed, looking up at Baelfire in thought. She had noticed how surprised he was when Pan's shadow disappeared on the spot, not willing to help them out with their cause.

Tiger took in a long breath through her nose and stood up. Then, she took off towards the top of the mountain at her top speed. Baelfire frowned and shook his head. "It wouldn't help us!" He yelled down to her, letting his best friend know that their plan had failed – there wasn't anything else that they could do – it was over.

"I know!" She called out, making sure to always know where Felix was in case he wanted to attack her again. He was dormant now, staying at the spot where they had fought – he had thought that there wouldn't have been another way off the island aside from Pan. However, if Tiger held half of Pan's black heart inside of her, then she could also have the same permissions as him.

However, she seemed to have made a tactical error in Felix's ability to comprehend what was transpiring. There was a sudden hand on her lower leg, and it dragged her down some on the mountainside. She let out a gasp when she was suddenly flipped over and an axe was slammed down, centimeters from her cheek. Tiger looked up to see Felix with a frown on his face, and stern eyes looking down at her.

"You _aren't_ thinking about doing that. I won't let you."

Tiger frowned. She needed to get balefire and her off the island. If that meant ripping her shadow from her body, then so be it. He seemed to be unmoving with his stance on the topic, hovering over her to prevent her from drawing any weapons.

 **Kill him.**

 **He's in** _ **our**_ **way.**

 **Do it, now!**

"I'm sorry, Felix, but I have to," Tiger responded coldly, bringing up her hands, which were covered in dirt and scars, and igniting them with white lights. She threw the light magic at him, the lights turning into a type of sword. He watched in slow motion when it was aimed toward his face, and he did his best to turn his body so it wouldn't completely take out his eye. He stumbled back a few feet down the mountain roughly. Tiger flipped herself up without any remorse and sprinted up the mountain as though she were a physical tiger on the prowl for something she wanted.

Once she reached the top, she handed her sword to Baelfire. "Keep him busy. I need to rip off my shadow," she informed causally, as if talking about the weather and not some horrendous, painful technique. Baelfire's eyes widened and as soon as his hands curled around the handle of the sword, he had to raise it to defend himself from the sudden onslaught from the older teen.

The teen managed to climb up the mountain with blood dripping down his face from his eye. His axe was raised murderously as his eyes landed on the first person he could take his anger out on. With as much force as he could muster given his weakened, injured state, he hurled his axe to try and attack Baelfire in the shoulder.

Felix let out a growl at seeing some resistance from the weaker male in front of him. The teen would try his absolute best to try and keep up with him – mostly guarding against Felix's swings. It's not as if he had been skilled with the sword. Baelfire didn't have the time to learn advanced moves at the camp before he ran away. He did his best to keep up with Felix, being careful to block and dodge mostly.

Baelfire didn't want to hurt anyone, although he doubted that he could even land a hit on Felix if he had wanted to.

Tiger let out a blood curdling scream as she began to rip her shadow from her feet using her own magic. Felix froze at hearing her pain, and stopped fighting against Baelfire for a few seconds to understand what was happening. "Lil, what are you doing!?" He asked, trying to take a step towards her. He was prevented due to Baelfire's sword being in his path.

Felix narrowed his eyes at the teen, and let out another growl from deep in his throat. "Why aren't you _stopping_ her? Do you even understand the pain that she's going through? For who – for someone as _insignificant_ like you?" He let out a huff of disbelief. "You call yourself her _friend_?" There was a small pause, as Baelfire took in Felix's painful words. They had definitely stung the teen. "Then _stop_ her!"

"Don't listen to him, Bae!" Tiger ordered, almost on her hands and knees from the pain. She let out a few pants of breath, trying to not pass out. Sweat was pouring down her face, but it was mostly getting washed away by the rain. "I'm almost done. Keep up the good work."

Baelfire nodded, although he seemed unsure of his actions. This went against everything that he believed in – everything that he stood for. He would never cause harm or pain to anyone if he could help it. "Please. Just help us escape. Then, maybe Lil will…!"

He was prevented from speaking when there was a familiar battle axe heading towards his face. Baelfire's eyes grew wide, and he barely managed to dodge before the axe came down to slash his head clean off. It was then that the teen knew that whatever he had said no doubt had triggered the other teen – Felix was now actively trying to kill him. Baelfire armed himself with the sword again, having both hands on the handle sternly.

"You know nothing of her!" Felix yelled, slashing every time he spoke. Baelfire began to gather sweat on his face from the intent fight they were having. Every time he blocked one of Felix's powerful swings, the sword would always get knocked back forcefully, and Baelfire needed to quickly bring it to the front before another swing came at him. "Do not speak as if you are friends! You are _nothing_ to her! You are _nothing_!"

"Bae!" Tiger yelled, out of breath. However, the two teens stopped fighting instantly at the weakened sound of her voice. She took in a few deep breaths and let out a thin smile at the shadow that was standing beside her. Felix shook his head and took a step forward, not wanting to believe that there was another way off the island. He hadn't thought that there was even a possibility.

"Go, Bae, take my shadow…" Tiger offered, and Baelfire looked warily at the girl. As if reading his thoughts, she let out a thin smile. "It can't carry both of us. I'll be right behind you, trust me." She watched him nod and run over to the shadow. It grabbed him by his waist and instantly took off a few feet above the mountain.

"Right behind me…" Baelfire repeated, just to make sure she wasn't lying.

She nodded, and the shadow darted off into the sky, leaving white specks of light as it went. Within seconds, he was gone. Felix walked over to her with concern on his face. Tiger looked up at him to see the bloody gash that was over one eye. Immediately she felt guilty, it was from her magic attack to get up the mountain. She tended to be a little ruthless when it came to protecting Baelfire.

He reminded her of Andrew – she failed to protect him, but she wouldn't do the same to Baelfire. He was now safely off of Neverland, and there wasn't anything that Pan could do about it. The teen was safe in London…where she would be soon if everything went according to plan.

"Are you okay?" Felix asked, as Tiger fell to her knees in exhaustion. She looked up at him with exhausted eyes and took in a deep breath. "Pan is going to be pissed."

"I certainly am," Peter remarked, appearing on top of the mountain in an instant. He was wearing a blanket over his shoulders, and his stomach was wrapped in bandages from the attack she had dealt a few weeks ago. Tiger's eyes went wide and she reached for a dagger that was attached to her side, but Pan walked over and slammed his foot on her hand. He wedged her hand onto the ground with a stern frown on his face.

The girl cried out and tried to find any other weapon around her vicinity that she could use. She couldn't think properly, she was incredibly tired from what she had just done. There wasn't any way that she could do magic at this moment – she had used it all from ripping off her shadow.

"Your shadow…You ripped your shadow from your body," Pan mused, shaking his head as he bent down. "I don't know whether to be impressed or enraged," he spoke, lifting his foot from her hand as she didn't move from her position on the ground. Even with his foot being lifted off from her hand, she didn't move her fingers to grab the handle. "Perhaps…I'm more so enraged."

Felix eyed the shadow that returned and glanced over at Pan.

The green cladded teen narrowed his eyes at the shadow and then summoned his own within a span of a second. "What to do with this…?" He muttered, as if in thought. Tiger looked down at the ground, knowing that her ticket to escape this place would be taken away. "I suppose I'll lump it with the rest. This way you'll never be able to pull this trick again."

Tiger remained silent, not wanting to look at the teen whom she despised with every fiber of her being.

"Felix, you've done well. You did all that you could and have even been rewarded a battle scar as a victory." Pan nodded at his right hand, causing Felix to nod back. Pan then bent down and picked the magically exhausted girl into his arms. "Lil, I have to say that we have a lot we need to fix about your behavior."

Tiger continued to look despondently down at the ground. She didn't want to say a word to him. She had already suspected that she was in for a long eternity – this time there really wasn't an escape from Neverland anymore.

The only thing that made it worth it was Baelfire being able to escape.

* * *

( **Present** )

Tiger continued to glare silently as Pan plucked the last sword from her body. As soon as the blade's tip was out of her body, it instantly began to heal itself slowly. She was about to get up from the small table she was on, but Pan suddenly placed his hands on the girl's arms, forcing her back down from the table. Letting out a small hiss, Tiger then narrowed her eyes darkly at the teen.

"I heard that some of my Lost Boys are speaking of going with the adults…" Pan stated and then shrugged his shoulders. "It's not as though I can blame you," he watched intently at the teen girl, who tried to move one of her shoulders to make herself more comfortable. "You were fighting with me the entire time."

"That's unfortunate," Tiger responded emotionlessly. "But inevitable…" She muttered, and the instant the insult had left her lips, he clenched her tightly, causing an emotion of discomfort to wash over her. There was a tense silence between the two of them. "Did you kill them?"

He let go of her and let out a small sigh underneath his breath. "Yes." She watched as he walked over by the opening of the tent that they were currently in. "I only need the boys who are still loyal to me…And…" He trailed, eyeing her with a smirk on his face, a complete change in attitude from remorseful to snarky. "Speaking of loyal subjects, Henry is going to swear his loyalty to me tonight."

Tiger immediately sat up and flipped herself over the table. Eyeing the area for any weapons that she could use, she found that there was the small collection of swords that her body had been impaled with. Dodge rolling under the table to the pile, she stuck her hand out to grab a handle but instead grabbed air. Her eyes went wide, and she watched as the pile of weapons vanished into thin air slowly, and she quickly darted her eyes to where Pan was.

He had squatted down to see her valiant efforts become thwarted by his magic. Letting out a chuckle at the way she was currently looking at Pan in fear, she kicked her feet out to gain as much distance between her and the teen as possible. Once she reached the end of the tent, Pan stood up and walked over to the table as he leaned against it and slowly smirked. "It's nothing that you haven't experience before, Lil. Surely, you remember the birds?"

"You bastard!" Tiger growled out, darkly. "What are you going to do, then?" She taunted, causing the teen's head to tilt to the side with a grin. "Force him to kill his family?" Shaking her head, she clenched her fists tightly in anger. "I'm not letting you warp Henry's mind!"

"I'm sure you're not going to _let_ me…" Pan stated, and she stood up. "But, it's not as if you'll be able to _stop_ me, either."

She looked at him with curious eyes. "What are you-?"

He snapped his fingers, and an entire flock of those birds appeared out of thin air. Tiger placed a hand over her face in surprise, but then placed it down when she heard fluttering. Her heart dropped, and she backed away to the tent just as she saw Pan's form flicker in and out.

"No…" She mouthed, unable to voice her thoughts. The black crows with three red eyes looked directly at her when she moved even a fraction of an inch. Pan let out a dark cackle and then started to walk over to the girl. "No!" She screeched, covering her ears with her hands tightly to not hear what the birds were going to say. She fell to her knees and refused to look at him or the birds – as if the saying 'out of sight, out of mind' would apply here.

Tears were flowing down her cheeks relentlessly. She only had bad memories of those birds – they would erase who she was entirely, and she wasn't sure that she would be the same person anymore. That thought scared her to her wits end, she didn't want to forget anything. She didn't want to lose everything and start all over in accordance to what Pan desired again.

"Please…" She whispered, not knowing what had happened to her strong persona. Tiger seemed to have disappeared, and Lilith seemed to have emerged from the ashes. The scared, pathetic girl from London who didn't know what true evil was until she came to Neverland. Lilith was always too pure and filled with light, and then Pan ruined her and filled her with hatred and despair. "I-I can't do this – No…"

"Lil…" He spoke in a soft tone while shaking his head slowly at her whining. "This is the only way to get you to submit. I'll break you down and build you back up just like I promised!" He chided in glee, causing the girl to let out a shriek of agony and shake her head aggressively. She hadn't feared many things on Neverland, but those damn birds were definitely at the top of her list. "However, I do need to tend with those meddlesome adults. Not to mention, Henry…" He said out loud in a calculative tone. As if the pieces were all falling into place, and he only had a few loose ends to tie up. "So, I'll let these birds do their job and retrieve you in a few hours."

Tiger shook her head, and as soon as Pan was walking away from her, she did something not like her, and grabbed Pan's foot, preventing him from walking anywhere. He halted his movements, finding himself frozen at the moment. "Pan, please! Please, don't leave me here…don't do this!" She begged on the ground, tears still trailing out of her eyes. A cold, rough hand landed itself on her warm cheek, and she looked up into his eyes pleadingly. "I-I can't…"

"It pains to see you like this, it really does…" He nonchalantly said, shaking his head. Then, a slow smirk grew on his face. Tiger knew that it was only amusing to him – he loved to see her weak and broken. "I need to go, now, love."

He disappeared in thin air, and Tiger fell to the ground completely. When she was left alone with the birds, she scooted to the corner of the tent and hugged her knees to her chest. One bird shifted its talons on the table, and she flinched while darting her eyes to the moving bird. "Water, please help me!" She cried, burying her head into her knees. "Fin! Bae! Anyone!"

"Who are you?"

The bird's haunting voice made her blood run cold. Her eyes widened at the sound, and she lifted her head to see that the bird was directly in front of her, the three red eyes peering into her soul. She stayed quiet and shook her head.

"Who are you?"

"Who are you?"

Two birds were at it now, and she let out a small whine and covered her ears. She could still hear the bird's persistent voices. "Who are you?" She answered back at the birds, mocking it with all the bravery that she had left "I am _me_. I _know_ who I am."

"Who are you?"

"Who are you?"

"You are Tiger Lily."

She then let out a small, humorless chuckle. Lifting her head up, she narrowed her eyes and stood shakily up to her feet. A collection of three birds had gathered at her feet. Placing her hand up in front of her, she ignited it with white fire. Shooting the three birds to ashes in front of her with a mighty blaze, she noticed that a few of them cawed in anger in the background and started to fly towards her.

"I know who I am, Pan! How could I have ever fucking forgotten?" She asked to the tent with arms outstretched to her sides. Seeing another bird dart towards her, she shot mercilessly at it, causing it to disappear into black smoke. "Lilith…Lil…Tiger…Lily…!" She was almost cut off by another bird flying at her again. She dodged expertly before she blasted the said bird to ashes as she did the other ones before it.

"Who the hell are you?" She turned the question on Pan, knowing that he was listening. He always was, he enjoyed hearing her become broken. "I can do this all. Damn. Day!" She yelled, blasting another bird to ashes out of the corner of her eye. "I will _not_ let you brainwash me _again_! I will _never_ be your pawn, _again_! I will _never_ be broken… _again_!"

She realized that there was twice as many birds as before, all about to charge at her. Narrowing her eyes with a dark smirk, she clenched her hands into fists and waited for the first bird to open its cursed beak. When it was about to say its cursed, repeated message, she open fired.

* * *

( **Past** )

Tiger sat next to Pan, who held his arm around her and pulled the despondent girl closer to him. She merely glanced at the ground, seeing how the shadows of the nearby campfire lit up with the Lost Ones dancing around it. Unlike when Baelfire was still around, she could hear the music of the lost now, and she hated it.

Tears somehow found their way out of her eyes. She didn't want to be here, she didn't want to be here at all. Now, she was stuck here, forever. Everything that she had was gone. There wasn't anything left. Suddenly, there was a cold finger on her warm cheek, and she tried to pull away from Pan. However, his grip became stronger, and his nails dug into her shoulders harshly.

"Why are you crying, Lil?" Pan asked her, and she shook her head while trying to pull away once again. She managed to get away from his grip after a few harsh pulls and twists. Landing on her back from her struggle, he leaned forward against her with narrowed eyes. "Why are you crying?" He asked more persistently as his tone darkened.

"…I…" She stuttered, her throat scratchy from not having used it in at least a few days. He leaned in, tilting his head in curiosity as to what she would say. Placing the back of his hand along her warm cheek softly, she clenched her eyes shut and tried to look away. However, he used his other hand to keep her face straight towards him.

She let out a whimper, and tried to shake her head, only to find that it was useless. Opening up her eyes, she stared at Pan's intense gaze and looked at him with a mix of dread and regret. He noticed that, and could only smile softly at her emotions. "I've…lost…" She finally managed to spit out, looking up at him hopelessly. "I've lost everything. I have nothing…I've…"

Letting out a hiccup, Pan let out a small chuckle before he patted the top of her head and began to play with her long strands of hair possessively. "You were always destined to lose. You couldn't have beaten me at my own game."

"Let go of me…" Tiger spoke half-heartedly. She didn't have the strength to keep fighting him, no matter how hard she should have. "Please." She whispered, not able to push him off her. "Let go of me, already."

He merely stared at her and then shook his head. "You know I can't do that. You're mine. I'm never letting you go…" He spoke, and tears began to flood out of her eyes once more. "Don't cry. There's nothing to cry about."

"There's everything to cry about…" She argued, looking back at him as she paused her crying. He remained quiet and looked at her for a few moments. "I've lost everything!" She yelled, trying to push him off of her once more. He didn't let her move him, and so he was still hovering over her with his knees pressed again the log that they were both on. "I…" She trailed, looking back over at the fire, her eyes becoming vacant and lifeless.

Pan let out a thin frown at that, getting off of her. She had these moments where she would come to life and talk to him about different things, however, most times she would stare blankly at the fire, or the forest. It had been happening for a good few weeks now, and he had to admit he did like it when she would come alive and try and fight him. He often wondered what it was like inside of her little mind – was she thinking of London? Or perhaps a life where her and Aleks were happily married?

He quickly shrugged that thought away, not too keen of thinking that Tiger would possibly be anywhere except beside him. In any case, she was still here and this is where she'll stay for the rest of eternity. "Whether she wants to or not…" Pan trailed that last part out loud, gathering the attention of Felix who was standing not too far away.

"Do you want me to stand guard outside her tent tonight?" Felix asked, and Pan let out 'hmm' while glancing over at the girl who was on the log with her mind elsewhere. He swept some hair out of her face, and looked at her green eyes with a strange obsessive glint in his eyes.

"She's awakened once tonight. I doubt she'll do it again soon…" He said and then looked over at Felix who nodded in understanding. "There shouldn't be a need to."

…

…

Tiger started to cry as she was brought back into her hell world that was Neverland. Sniffling softly, she climbed out of her bed and pulled the flaps of the tent open slowly. She noticed that Felix wasn't standing guard that night and internally thanked the higher being that Pan decided to not order him to. Softly placing a foot on the ground, she made her way to the forest and hoped that she could fall off a cliff into the ocean below.

The water seemed like the only thing that would solve her problems.

Taking a wild journey towards where she suspected would have the highest cliffs, she didn't pay attention to her surroundings. She ran into the wild thorn bushes multiple times and scratched herself deep enough to draw blood. Still, she hadn't felt the pain – she hadn't felt anything except hopelessness for such a long time now.

Reaching the trail to where the cliffs were, she stopped when she felt as if something was off to her right. Blinking lightly, she took a few steps and found that she had crossed a threshold of some type. It seemed almost similar to when she was using her magic. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned to see some Lost Ones running with their tools in their hands.

Letting out a small gasp, she took a step back deeper into the clearing, only to find that they had avoided the area entirely. It was as if they couldn't see her at all. Raising an eyebrow slowly, she brought her hands up to her chest, and they split up in different directions before disappearing from her sight. Turning around, she placed her hands back down at her sides and ventured deeper into the strange part of the forest.

After a few moments, there was chanting coming from over a hill. Tiger ducked down quickly, thinking that she had reached Pan's camp. Yet, upon listening carefully, the rhythm was completely different. It sounded almost as if the people who were playing the music had wanted to from the bottom of their heart. Unlike Pan's, which was a power trip to make people dance in accordance to his wishes.

Slowly bringing herself back up to a stand, she ventured over the hill to find teepee tents and other tents spaced out in the area. It looked like a colony of some sorts, yet, she hadn't seen it before. Then, her eyes went wide.

It was just like the story of when Pan told her about her mother and ancestors.

These were the natives of Neverland.

" **How did you find this place**?"

She turned to see a man with red handprints on his face. After a few moments, she shook her head at the man with black hair and blue eyes. "I don't understand."

He nodded, and then signaled one of the men with a multiple feathers on his head. An elder gentleman stood up and made his way over to the bottom of the hill which they were gathered at. "English?" The man spoke, and she nodded with no emotion. "I am White Beard. Who are you?"

"Tiger Lily…" she spoke, but at the realization on his face, Tiger glanced at the ground. "My mother was the original…I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what Pan did to you. I'm…" she began to say but was then embraced by the tribal head in a hug. The girl stayed still for a few seconds, unsure of how to react to such a gesture. It had been so long since it was warm and not filled with ill intent.

"I am glad to meet you, my great niece. Welcome to my tribe." He pulled away with a grand smile on his face. She tried to return the gesture, but her face froze in the form of a grimace. It seemed as though after all this time of hell, she had forgotten how to do such a simple act like smile. "Come, we shall partake in a feast!"

 **To be continued…**


	21. Inner Demons

**A/N: Well, long time no see everybody! Piecing these last few chapters of this story is getting pretty rough. That, and along with school is why I took a bit!**

 **Did anyone laugh when Fin was freaking out over Tiger being impaled and then Pan said "It's nothing to break your neck over"? Because I laughed hella hard when I wrote it. Oh well, I have a strange sense of humor, I guess.**

 **Thanks to everyone who favorited and followed this story! And to everyone who reviews, it's great to hear what you think about the story and your responses. Thanks again!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

To clear my thoughts I drill a hole into my skull  
Clean up my brains and sweep them underneath the rug  
I need them more than I needed any other drug  
I'm fallin' down  
Fallin' down  
Fallin' down

~Atreyu "Falling Down"

* * *

Ch. 21: Inner Demons

 **(Present)**

Tiger vanquished another hoard of birds in her path. Letting out a slow exhale, she shook out her hands, while reaching out her fingers in her right hand in the air, right as another bird appeared. The bird just so coincidentally appeared right in her grip. It opened its beak and was about to squawk out its repetitive dialogue that she had heard who knows how many times; she had become numb to its weightless words. However, it was prevented from speaking when Tiger squeezed its throat tightly, causing the rest of the birds that appeared to stay quiet.

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm getting tired of this…" She glanced over at one of the sides of the tent that had been scorched with her abundance of magic that she conjured. Her eyes were half lidded from mild exhaustion, but she started to walk over to one end of the tent. "Sick…and tired," she mused, throwing the bird perfectly in the middle of the tent lazily. It combusted into green smoke on impact, leaving nothing but small particles of dust to prove that it had existed to begin with.

 **Burn them all.**

"Shut the fuck up, Lilith," Tiger hissed under her breath, not paying any attention to the demonic voice in her head. She could almost feel the ghost of her past-self grip her shoulders tightly – the sharp, phantom nails digging into her skin, even though there was no one there to begin with. Tiger could _feel_ her lingering, overbearing presence. Only except she wasn't the innocent London girl from so many years ago – Neverland had evolved her to be someone, or _something_ …that didn't think twice about killing.

Lilith only wanted to see blood being shed, she didn't care about who it belonged to.

Her past-self didn't seem to think about anything except chaos.

 **He'll break you again.**

Tiger let out a dark chuckle under her breath. Shaking her head, she placed a hand out and could feel her eyes brighten. Her eyes ignited into a white color instantly. "Like hell he will." The entire tent was set with a powerful blaze, causing herself to get burned, but killing all the remaining birds in the process.

As the tent was crumbling to ashes, and blood was splattered all around the area from the birds, she took a step out from the smoke. Her clothes that she was wearing were ripped and torn in different areas. Her hair had taken some damage, one braid was comparatively smaller than the other in length due to the explosion.

 **Kill everyone.**

 **Kill everything!**

 **Kill them before they can kill you!**

She glanced over to the side where she could faintly see the transparent image of the prim and proper teenager. Her clothes that she was wearing was the very same thing that Tiger Lily was wearing the day that she was taken in London. However, one thing was very different about this similar looking girl. Her green eyes had been painted a murderous, and crazed red. They were wide open, staring at her with a sadistic grin on her face. Her perfectly trimmed nails were still digging into Tiger's shoulder, and all Tiger could do was glare darkly over at the ghost in annoyance.

She had dealt with her inner demon before in the past, and by some small act of charity it hadn't reared its ugly head in the past twenty years. It wasn't as though she didn't know how to dispel its unwanted existence, it usually was a simplistic task – a mind over matter one.

"Crawl back in your hole where you came from. I _don't_ need you," she said with such absolution in her tone that the image flickered out of existence immediately. The ever-convincing words to lose herself to the chaos that had grown inside of her had disappeared as well. Tiger rolled her eyes and took a few steps forward until she stopped walking. She had felt multiple gazes lingering on her.

She turned her head slowly, spotting how multiple Lost Boys flinched back, while some cringed underneath her gaze. A very small amount, possibly two or three, dared to pull out some weapons that were hidden at their sides.

Letting out a small huff while turning her body to face the small crowd that was located over by the fire pit, she shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not going to tell you not to fight me." She paused. "But I'm not going to say no if you want to," she half-smirked while holding her hands up in mock defense. Soot had covered her face, along with her now exposed stomach. The explosion had ripped her clothing in quite a few places.

A small breeze came over the small area, and she blinked when she felt her mid-section being exposed to the air. Her half-smirk evolved to a playful one. "I'll even make it easy for you," she spoke, glancing to her left when she noticed that the moonlight had hit steel, reflecting a small amount of light from it. Walking over to the area, she pulled out a small dagger and laughed lifelessly as she turned to address the boys again.

"Make sure to hit me right here," she pointed with her free hand at the dark spot on her stomach that appeared to the boys like a dark bruise. They hadn't been close enough to see the mark begin to swirl since it was now exposed to the air. "That's the only way you'll win. _Now_ ," she looked at the boys, who seemed to become more on guard as she talked. She formed a battle stance, a dark promise of pain for whoever dared to combat her sparkled in the girl's eyes.

"Who's first?"

* * *

 **(Past)**

Tiger walked past some red berries on the bush that a group of her and some others passed. She held a large wicker basket, and had only collected a few. To be honest, she never actively went on a search for berries, but her job in the village was one of the 'gatherers' to which her great uncle had assigned her. It was all too strange for her, but she was glad to be among family again.

Even if it was an incredibly _distant_ family member.

She stopped at the berry bush that she has passed and pursed her lips in confusion. " **Do** …" She trailed out, not really understanding the language that the natives spoke. The rest of the women turned around to look at her, hearing her speak their native tongue. Tiger wanted to shrink away instantly – not liking the attention fully on her. She cleared her throat nervously. "Um…"

One of the women rose an eyebrow and walked over to her. " **What is the problem?"**

Tiger only grew more confused, not understanding what the woman said except for 'what' and 'problem'. That was good enough for her to try and focus on what she wanted to say, although she knew that it wouldn't come out as a complete sentence considering her vocabulary in their language was incredibly limited. " **Not good?"** She asked pointing over to the red berries. The woman glanced over to the berries and resisted the urge to frown.

" **Not good,"** reaffirmed the woman with a shake of her head. She pointed to the front, where the rest of the women were waiting patiently. Tiger let out a small sigh, gripping the basket with her callused hands.

"I don't understand any of this," She complained in English. Tiger desperately wanted to pull out her own hair, which was now cascading down her back, instead of her high pony-tail. She trailed in the back, not watching where she was going until she was pulled back gently on the shoulder. Not used to such physical contact unless she was fighting, she was about to pull out a weapon she didn't happen to carry at the moment, and plunge it into the throat of her enemy.

Looking up, she noticed one of the adult woman placing a finger up to her lips. Tiger furrowed her eyebrows, and looked up to see the familiar, transparent barrier where she had entered from.

Pan was standing close to the barrier, but not in front of it. He was on his knees, with his hands on the ground while looking off in different directions. A determined glare was on his face, and he looked up at the trail heading up the mountain. The group of boys with him looked uneasy, and Tiger could see a few familiar faces within that crowd.

"We looked for tracks," Ryan spoke timidly. Pan didn't glance in his direction and instead slowly stood up from his position on the ground. Gav placed his hands on his waist, trying to remain strong in the presence of their merciless leader. Pan continued to look at the ground, trying to pin point where Tiger had disappeared to. Ryan cleared his throat before trying to alleviate some of the tension. "We…She vanished."

"Not on my island…" Pan scathingly growled out, glaring over at the teenager that wasn't too much older that Tiger. The teen girl took a step back, not wanting to go out there – she wouldn't let Pan ever have her again. She needed to go back to the village where it was safe – where she wouldn't – where Pan wouldn't - wouldn't be able to –

Her irrational thoughts were then interrupted by a familiar, yet dark voice inside of her mind.

 **Kill them.**

Tiger's eyes widened when she could feel a presence from behind her. A dainty, gentle hand gripped her shoulder with a menacing hold. The girl's blood ran cold, and she could feel herself become influenced by her thoughts, and killer instinct. Her breath hitched in her throat, and a voice that sounded similar to hers was begging Tiger to be in control. The girl wasn't prepared to hear such an overpowering, strong voice when she was still mentally trying to recover her sanity after having her shadow ripped from her.

 **Kill them!**

 **Let me kill them.**

She couldn't believe the words that she was hearing. There wasn't any way that she could fight against Pan. She knew from past experience that even with a surprise attack on the older teen resulted in both of them getting injured in some way.

 **It will be so easy.**

 **Let me be in control.**

Tiger blinked, her hands shaking on the basket she was carrying, trying her best to remain grounded. The voice had become harsher and more demanding. Images started to appear in her head – and they all described a macabre scene of blood and dismembered limbs being thrown about on the ground. She knew that one of them was going to be Pan.

 **It'll be so nice.**

It would be nice to be rid of Pan once and for all. Then, she wouldn't have to hide. She would be able to live freely on the island, and maybe even find a way off of Neverland. There was always the Enchanted Forest that she could go back to. It was such a nice place that she had almost forgotten it had existed – it almost seemed like a dream.

 **Let me in.**

 **Let me in!**

 **Let be in control!**

Tiger instantly lost her control on her sanity.

Throwing the wicker basket on the ground, she took a large splinter of wicker that seemed to be sharper than the rest. A woman tried to pull her back, but was suddenly pushed roughly to the ground with minimal effort from the girl. The rest of the women let out a gasp from the teenager's inhuman strength, and when Tiger turned around to look at them, they all took a step back.

She had red eyes, and one woman even started to get down to the ground and began to pray in her native tongue. The girl stared at the women, taking in the strength and form of each one. Tiger didn't want to fight weaklings. She'd kill them later on when the bigger competition was already taken care of.

Not aware of her own thoughts, or even in control of her actions, she took a step out from the barrier. However, to Pan and the boys who were standing around, it looked as if she had just stepped out from the woods.

"There you are, Lil…" Pan spoke, smirking as if he had found the girl by himself. Ryan suddenly looked up at her, examining her eyes and swallowed nervously. He recognized those eyes from when she was about to kill him without any remorse a few months ago. Gav's breath hitched in his throat, and he found that he was frozen on the spot. Pan, who didn't seem to notice anything wrong with the girl, let out a chuckle as he put his arms out by his sides in a welcoming fashion. "I've found you."

Tiger let out a slow smile, not giving anything away to the multiple ways she would kill all of them. How their blood would look while being depleted into the ground. Her eyes spotted a sword that she could fully take advantage of on Ryan's hip. She walked over, walking past Pan and looking up at Ryan with her cold, emotionless red eyes. "I'll just need to borrow this…" She whispered to him, her eyes widening as her grip landed on the handle just as Ryan jumped back.

The motion had been too quick and nonchalant that Gav still hadn't found his will to move from the spot. Ryan couldn't tear his eyes away from the teenager – if he had thought he feared her before, he definitely was scared shitless of her now. She had finally lost it.

Pan was puzzled at what was happening, but decided to stay quiet. It was an interesting development in his Tiger Lily, and he wasn't quite sure what was going on in her head. He concluded that she finally snapped, and that this was a new side of her that he hadn't seen before.

She turned towards the teenagers, smile filled with crazed amusement that only she could see. Her eyes were still wide, completely lost in her own mental madness. Pan, for the first time, took a step back, taking out his own sword. He could tell a lot from the eyes of the people he held captive, and he knew lost when he saw it. Yet, this wasn't a lost that he was too keen on seeing. This wasn't from feeling hopeless and not having any faith…

This was pure chaos.

Tiger was _unstable_.

"For the record…" She let out a high pitched giddy chuckle. "I think it is _I_ that has found _you_ ," she spoke, her voice brimming on an English accent that she had lost during her time staying at Neverland. She held the sword up, the sun shining on the cold steel, and she watched how the light reflected with a stern grin.

Biting her lips to prevent her smile from growing anymore, she turned to look at Pan. "En garde?" She asked rhetorically, as if she didn't know what she was doing, however, her expert battle stance proved that it was quite the opposite.

Pan narrowed his eyes, but a playful grin tugged at his lips. "What kind of game is this?"

Tiger didn't give anything away, the only thing that she did do was move at her top speed. It happened too quickly that Pan hadn't even see her move until she had slit the throat of Ryan. The teen was unprotected, and his knees buckled under the attack. Gav took that time to take his own sword out, and merely backed up a few steps to get closer to Pan.

She whipped the sword to the side, watching as the blood fell off the blade. With her finger, she placed it down her own blade, purposefully drawing some of her own blood. She brought up her bloodied finger; a mixture of Ryan's and hers, and licked it. "Tart…" She stated, making Gav shiver next to Pan. "And bitter," she concluded, turning around to look at the two remaining teenagers. "Why, I think I've had that combination before. Although, I _can't_ seem to place it. Perhaps I should sample more to help me remember?"

Tiger let out a cackle, fully not having any sanity left in her brain. Her smile had returned, and she raised the sword up at her enemies. "What do you propose? An _excellent_ idea…?" She stared at them with her wide eyes, licking the remaining blood off her lips with a quick flick of her tongue. Then, without warning, she teleported and dropped down on top of Gav. She impaled the teenager, and Pan flung her off of him with his own magic. Gav dropped to the ground, while holding the handle of the sword with trembling hands.

"S-S-She…!" Gav fumbled to say, but lost conscious due to the blood loss. She had managed to hit a vital organ, and Pan knew he was not savable, even with his own arsenal of magic. Tiger hit the ground harshly, hearing multiple cracks as her bones were snapped. She landed on her leg incorrectly, and part of her lower leg bone was protruding out of her flesh.

Pan expected to hear a sound of agonizing pain from the girl. When you break a bone it usually takes at least a few days to heal with magic. The person that broke it usually was out of commission during that time, not being able to take walking on the injury.

She merely looked at her bone sticking out of her skin and cracked her head to the side swiftly. "There is nothing to have your trousers in a twist for!" She stood up, and even Pan couldn't help but cringe when she took a step on the leg that was definitely not usable. He heard another sickening crack from the step that she took. It was as if she couldn't feel anything in the current state she was in. He narrowed his eyes – he would have to knock her out and then heal her mind and body when they returned to camp.

He needed to fix her – like all the other times he had fixed her. Pan had only assumed that she had went through too much emotional damage without a 'reset' that she had finally lost her sanity.

"Your turn is imminent…" She said, a wide sadistic grin on her face. "You are the one that I _really_ want to kill!" Bending over, she curled her hand in a fist and then punched the bone back into place harshly. She did this all without flinching, or ever losing her sadistic smile. The bone righted itself and was no longer sticking out. The blood was still wet from where her bone had stuck out from her flesh, and Pan could see it glistening in the sunlight. Grabbing the sword by the ground, she started to chuckle lowly, until it evolved into a full out cackle. "Yes, that is correct!" She yelled suddenly, before losing all emotion on her face for a split second. Her next words were without any emotion attached to them at all. "I am going to annihilate every last one of you."

Pan glared at the girl, but smirked all the same. Truth be told, she was the only one that could actually prove to be a _challenge_ to him. He snapped his fingers, and his Neverland birds appeared, surrounding her. She faltered, if only for a few seconds, as she looked at them.

No doubt somewhere in her subconscious she still feared them.

Blinking quickly, she then quickly swung her blade in the air, causing a red fire to materialize out of the air. It caught all of the birds in the vicinity on fire. They combusted instantly and ashes was the only thing that remained of the mammals. Pan let out a chuckle, taking in the remnants of the birds, and shook his head in disbelief.

"You aren't even in there anymore, are you?" He managed to block an incoming blow from the girl with his own raised sword, and a flash of lightning appeared when steel had hit steel. Struggling to hold her back for the first time, she was still pushing him back even while she was still in the air from her jump attack. Narrowing his eyes, Pan swung out at the girl, and she flew back. He ordered his shadow to hold her and knock her out, yet, when his shadow's hands wrapped around the girl, she simply set him ablaze as her eyes seemed to light up with fire.

The shadow disappeared, the only thing proving that it had been there at all was the black smoke floating in the air. Landing on the ground, her other non-injured leg bent at an odd degree, but she paid no mind to it. She merely straightened herself out, and pointed her weapon at Pan, who was now sweating a little from his own magical exhaustion.

"Honestly, treating a lady as roughly as you do, I'm beginning to suspect why no one likes you," she called out casually. She raised her free hand in the air and shrugged lightly. Pan let out a couple pants to catch his breath while he still had a few moments to do so. Sweat was starting to trickle down his face, and he knew that if he didn't end this soon then he would be in trouble.

"I am merely joshing with you, Peter!" She smirked widely, her hand not being able to cover it up as she brought it up to dauntingly do so. "I hadn't even _suspected_ – I _knew_ that."

She charged once again, bringing herself in the air with her sword raised, glowing a menacing, murderous red. When she was about to plunge it through him at her top speed, vines from the side of the forest wrapped around her arms, causing her to hang there. Pan looked up in confusion, not understanding what was happening. He hadn't been the one to do that, he was on the brink of collapsing after dealing with the fight that he wasn't prepared for.

Tiger struggled in its grip. "Unhand me!" She yelled, but at not being able to get loose, her eyes turned darker, as did her voice. She tried burning the plant life – knowing that it would instantly let her to. However, the flames hadn't even turned the vines black with smoke. It was untouched, and this only fueled her rage. " **Unhand me**! Chaos will be rained down – there will be no survivors!" Growling, and snarling, fire erupting this way and that. "This island will **burn**. Everything will **burn** and everything will **die**!"

Pan watched when she was suddenly dragged into the forest by the vines. Then, there was silence. There wasn't a single breath of hers being breathed – the madness that he had just come face to face with was gone.

Once he overcame his initial shock, he walked over at a slow pace to where she had gone. He peered his eyes through the thick forest, and then decided to walk through it. Yet, he hadn't taken many steps when he was met with a cliff side.

Then, he began to feel the sand start to fall inside of his heart.

Even with their short, brief encounter, he couldn't deny it was nice to see his Tiger Lily again – even if she had become unstable and filled with insanity. That only meant that next time he would be ready to combat her speed – she would never be able to get the jump on him again. He wouldn't allow her to even come close to winning against him.

"Till we meet again…" He spoke to the wind, as if somewhere inside of his mind he knew that she would be able to hear him.

* * *

 **(Present)**

Tiger threw the last of the boys on the ground, with only minimal wounds inflicted to them. Rolling her eyes, she kept the dagger close to her and proceeded to walk through the forest. The need to have new clothes was strong, but she doubted that there was anything suitable left for her to wear. Her village had been wiped out, and clothes weren't exactly growing on trees.

She walked passed a tree, and saw a shirt that was a size too big for her hanging on a low branch.

Halting her stride she turned her head slowly to make sure that she wasn't seeing things. "What _is_ this," she stated bluntly, half-expecting to be ambushed. She was never this lucky before in her life.

Not wanting to take the chance of any more fights, she snatched the shirt and quickly put it on her. She heard footsteps running behind her, and barely lifted a finger to deflect an oncoming sword with her magic. The sword ended up in the dirt, and she smirked while turning around to face the boy who clearly needed to be trained more. "Didn't Pan ever…?"

She stopped her words when she saw clearly who had tried to attack her.

Henry.

"I knew that lady luck is the biggest _fake_ around," she was about to walk over to help the kid up, but was prevented when he brandished a dagger that was similar to hers. He aimed it, and she let out a loud sigh. "Henry, come on…" she said in an exasperated tone and then paused. "I don't have time for this."

He swung out at her, and snagged a piece of her new shirt. Tiger let out an unamused growl. "I just _got_ this shirt…" She muttered under her breath darkly, but then blocked his next untrained attack easily with her own dagger. "I'm starting to get angry."

Suddenly, Henry started to come at her quicker and more skilled, his eyes weren't completely focused. She could only assume that he could hear the music at this point, and she wanted to kick herself for it.

She should have been there.

When the young child swung out, she had jumped out of the way. She didn't want to hurt him, and she knew that she definitely would if she engaged in an attack against him. Her eyes caught the sight of red on her body and raised an eyebrow. Henry had managed to draw some blood on one of her arms. She had dodged sloppily and she had paid for her inability to evade correctly. Her thoughts were scattered, and the blame and overbearing guilt that she was currently mentally debating was taking up most of her attention.

Shaking her head, she kicked the dagger away from the child, causing it to become lodged a few feet up in a nearby tree. "Really, Henry?" She walked forward, her sarcasm was clear in her tone. "Out of all the people here, you should _know_ what I'm capable of."

Then, he charged at her once again. Tiger rolled her eyes, taking a quick side step before throwing a well-aimed punch in the back of his neck. He fell to the ground, not being able to get back up due to his lost consciousness. "First Demon Lilith…and now Lost Henry. I don't think I'll ever get a break from this place." She shook her head, taking a few steps away from the child. He was under one of Pan's music spells, and taking him along with her would only hinder her progress.

There was a small amount of scuffling from behind her that caused her to narrow her eyes. Turning around, she barely flipped out of the way of an incoming knife. Henry was back at his feet, and was now running past her, skidding his feet in the dirt. He turned around, panting a bit from his own body's exhaustion, and then looked over at her with a vacant expression. "What the actual hell is going on…?" She muttered to herself, looking up at the tree above her.

She noticed a low hanging branch, and jumped expertly up just as the child charged towards her again. Lifting herself up, she readjusted herself on the branch and sat down with her feet dangling in the air. It was just out of reach even when Henry jumped towards her with his knife. "Okay, kid, I know you can't hear me, but I'm just going to wait until you tire out a little."

Stretching on the sturdy tree limb she closed her eyes and laid down. She crossed her legs nonchalantly, getting used to the small noises that Henry was making as he attempted to attack her. "Because _I'm_ tired, and I guess I'll take a little break…" Closing her eyes, she let out a small breath.

* * *

 **(Past)**

The teenager opened up her eyes slowly, and just when she was fully awake, she let out a pained groan from her leg. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she looked down slowly to see a bandaged leg from where the pulsating pain was coming from. Clenching her eyes and biting her tongue, she looked around the area that she had just woken up in.

It was the chief's hut. She was back in the village – but she didn't even remember passing out. The last thing she recalled was that she was out gathering berries with the rest of the village girls. Rubbing her face roughly, she tried to block out the pain. Her nails dug into her flesh, and she let out another groan of pain, however this one was stifled and died somewhere in her throat.

"You are awake, my child," White Beard stated, walking into the hut by lifting up one of the cloths hanging from the ceiling by the entry way. Tiger glanced her eyes in his direction and tried to sit up. She did so slowly, as he walked over to the makeshift bed that she was laying on. "The chaos…" He said, making her dart her eyes up at him widely. "That's what happened to you."

"What is that?" Tiger asked, unable to keep her fear from her tone. "I-I…I…" Her face contorted to pain as her leg screamed out again. She lowered her head and rested it in her hand. "I don't remember anything!"

White Beard nodded. "It happens to even the bravest soldiers. There were a few in my tribe that suffered this illness." Tiger looked back up with a pained expression. "There is a way to overcome this evil inside of you."

"Please. Show me how."

The man stroked his beard with his hand. "This is no easy task. Some never recovered from it."

"I am not like other people!" Tiger spoke out in anger. Although it could have been the pain that was talking and not her actual emotions. White Beard looked down, examining the battered and beaten teenager. "I need to get stronger. I need to in order to survive!"

"She is strong," he stated. Tiger's anger instantly vanished as she looked at the old man who bent down to her eye level. "The trees have told me. The vines have experienced firsthand. Do you still wish to face this battle?"

Tiger nodded. "Yes."

"There might be a price to pay. The people who have done this have come out…different."

"I'll do it."

White Beard brought out a bowl from his large robes that he was wearing. Tiger glanced down into it to see a strange color that she had never seen before. Spices were popping up in the water here and there, and she refused the urge to vomit due to the smell coming from the bowl. He offered her the bowl, and she held it in her hands.

"Drink this. Face your demons."

Tiger took another look at the bowl and then glanced up at White Beard. Nodding, she downed the entire bowl with a single gulp while holding her breath. As she exhaled, she noticed the hut was beginning to swirl and shift. Her eyes felt heavy, and the pain in her leg finally went away. The colors grew brighter in intensity, and she could feel herself fall back onto the bed.

 **To be continued…**


End file.
